The Crimson
by The Agent of Chaos
Summary: What is a dream? Dream is something for us to hold, so that we can live for it. The tale of a drifter who searches for his dream in the chaotic land of Filgaia. AU, OC.
1. Prologue : My Dream

**Chapter 1 : Prologue**

"_**Don't ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs are people who have come alive."**_

_**Howard Thurman**_

**Author's note: Hello, this is my first try on WA fanfics, so please don't be too harsh on me. I'll explain more about this fic below. BTW, I don't own Wild Arms games or series at all, Wild Arms belong to….well, whichever company created it. All in all, enjoy!!**

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The history of mankind is the history of destruction. It would always remain a mystery how this land, Filgaia, stood so much animosity, destruction, war, famine, death, curse, and blasphemy for eons yet it still lives, exists, stands.

I've heard that more than two millenniums ago, a warrior from another dimension called Elw Borea was stranded in this land and eventually embroiled in a peril involving an old kingdom name Elesius. It is said that the warrior sacrificed his life to stop the evil emerging from the old kingdom. I have also heard that a young girl, the wielder of ARMs, played a major role on that war.

Then centuries later after that, metal demons attacked this land and ignited a huge war against an old kingdom known as Adlehyde. History has it that it was the war that changed the course and the fate of this land for eternity. Some said a master swordsman and a young drifter, another wielder of ARMs, helped the princess of Adlehyde to enclose the nightmare. But the truth remains unknown.

Then millenniums after that, history has it that The Three Prophets whom people in Filgaia regarded as saints were slain by four criminals, all of them were wielders of ARMs. Although some other sources mentioned that they were actually heroes, but who would have known about that?

And then Filgaia lived millenniums without a major war, until forty years ago when The Genesis War, the biggest war ever took place in Filgaia, occurred. And needless to say, the impact to the land was also terrible.

See? That was what I talking about. War after war, battle after battle, destruction after destruction, they are all just unending. Yet, Filgaia still remains. What actually makes it remain? ARMs, maybe? Because it seems that whenever this land in peril, ARMs would rise and save the day.

Or maybe…its people? Filgaia's people?

That's gotta be it. Filgaia's people never ceased to hope and fight. Filgaia's people never ceased to live. Filgaia's people never ceased to strive. Filgaia's people got something that keeps them alive in this deteriorating land full of violence.

But what keeps each of those people alive is harder to decipher than the mystery of this land itself.

Do you know what keeps you alive the most in this cold and harsh world? Have you ever wondered about it? Don't know about you, but for me, it's my dream. Something I want to achieve, something I want to get, something I want to see by my own eyes, something I want to cherish, something I want to be proud of, something to embrace, and something that would make me feel that my life is worth living for.

All my life, I've been living under a shadow of greatness. At first, I tried not to hate it, but that shadow belittled every inch of my being, every drip of my blood, everything inside me. I want to get out of that shadow and start living an essential life. But, I don't know what kind of life I truly want. I don't know what kind of dream I truly longed. And I don't know what kind of destiny awaits me in my search for it.

That's why I became a drifter in the first place, above all others; I want to search for my own dream. I'll find it, and then I will live my dream to its fullest.

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**That is it for the prologue. In case u're wondering or you realized, yes, this story takes place centuries after the Wild Arms 3. Apparently, I believe WA 1 is connected to WA 3 and WA XF is the prelude story before WA 1 (especially the mentioning of Elw). I don't know how does it set the timeline for each WA game, but in this story WA 1, 3, and XF games will play the part as the historical reference. Whereas the other three WA (2,4, and 5) will have their share of references. **

**And there is one more important thing, I'm not going to update weekly. I'll update this story whenever I want to, be it once in a month or twice in a month. And please don't cuss me for this.**

**All in all, hopefully you enjoy the story. Sorry for the lack of grammar, I'm still learning (a lot). **

**Reviews and messages are appreciated. (^^)**


	2. Filgaia Now

**Chapter 2**

"_**You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time"**_

_**Abraham Lincoln**_

**Disclaimer: I don't own Wild ARMs (If I do, I wouldn't be writing this fic. I would turn it into the seventh installment of the series). Wild ARMs series belong to…uh, Sony Computer Entertainment America (finally got that right). Author's note is down below, and I strongly suggest you to read it.**

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The sun rose around two hours ago in the Surf Village, one of the countless numbers of small villages in Filgaia. The blue sky is happily reigning on the top of the world, the birds fly across it adding more beauty to the veil of earth. And inside a two stories small inn made of brick in the village, a man with curly short red hair that covers his ears is seen enjoying his sleep peacefully, holding his pillows tightly to give himself some more comfort. His darker white skin is not really in contrast with the white covered bed. If you see how his smile growing on his sleep, he must have been dreaming something good. And if it's possible, maybe he prefers to stay dreaming all day long.

Unfortunately for him, his sleep is then interrupted when a Caucasian girl stormed to inside his room. Her long silver hair is braided carefully, descending out from beneath the bun. A pair of earrings in the form of silver colored cross is visible on both her ears. She wears a pair of white fingerless gloves on her hands. A brown leather belt containing a sheathed sword is hanging on her waist. Wearing a short white blazer which covering the dark colored shirt she wears with white shorts completed by pair of white sports shoes and long pair of socks that covered into above her legs, her dark eyes is staring furiously to the innocently sleeping man.

"Wake up, slowpoke!!! This is eight in the morning and you still enjoying your sleep while I, Alvin, and Sophia are working our butts down?!" The girl chops the man on his rib, surprising him and sending him crashing to the hard floor from his comfortable bed….effectively waking him up.

The red haired man slowly rises back from beside the bed and opens his eyes, revealing his enchanting red eyeballs to the world. "Marilyn, couldn't you wake me up in a much better fashion?" The red eyed man rubs his ribs without forgetting to protest the girl named Marilyn, "Last time, you chopped me in the head. And before that, you chopped me in the arm. And once, you gave me a roundhouse chop that nearly sent me to my demise. Did you feel like Chuck Norris?! What is it between your chops and me?!"

"Your amazing ability to sleep like a dead man, that's what standing between my chops and you, Cliff!!" Marilyn spats back at the red haired man named Cliff, "Now, why don't you put some decent clothes than your pajama so you can start working like you should downstairs?!"

"Yes, O mighty Marilyn" Cliff replies with a mocking tone which irritates the silver haired girl even more. And he even adds a murmur, "Your wish is my command. Now, would you like me to strip in front of you or inside the bathroom?"

Bad move, Cliff. The silver haired girl is an emotional girl….and she's got good hearing too.

"What did you just say?" Marilyn is really sure she heard something just now, "I demand a repeat"

"No, I said…" Cliff starts to work his brain so that he wouldn't have to receive some amount of punishments (chops), "I would be willing to work all day long!"

"I'm not going to buy that! But since we're running out of time, I'll let you go for the time being. Now get dressed like a proper adult!" The dark eyed girl steams before leaving the room with a red face, combination of both anger and more anger.

Cliff sighs seeing her reaction before going to the bathroom, "Three years and she is still the same old Marilyn. Some things just never changed, huh?"

Being the only inn in Surf Village, the inn isn't really big. Two storied inn with approximately fifteen rooms, ten downstairs and five upstairs. In the back of the inn, the owner which is also happen to be the mayor of the village lives with his wife and two sons.

The Surf Village itself has always been the same. A middle aged styled village with healing berries plantation as its main source of living. Not too many people live there, maybe only around seventy people. Nonetheless, it's still a warm quite village although The Genesis War pretty much isolated it from most of the outer world.

Clad in a long green trench coat covering his orange shirt and black trouser, Cliff slowly walks downstairs to the kitchen to meet the waiting figure in the form of Marilyn. His black sport shoes make some noises in the wooden stairs as he steps. Below the stairs there's a basement which is used as a very large wine storage.

"Finally here" The young girl points to a pile of unpeeled potatoes, "Peel the potatoes while Sophia is still out collecting berries, I'll wipe the tables inside the café for the time being"

"Yes, boss" Cliff smirks and quickly does as he was told. So that neither he nor Marilyn would get bored while doing their tasks, Cliff opens a conversation, "Where're Mayor Bricks and Misses Bricks, Marilyn? I haven't seen him since last night"

"Misses Bricks went to the plantation this morning with her sons and Sophia. Mayor told me that he is out for awhile. I heard it's an emergency matter of security because a group of deserters have been appearing around here lately. Mayor is going to the nearest post office trying to contact the World Union for help, and Alvin is escorting him" Finishing her sentence, Marilyn escapes a small cynical chuckle, "Hmph, like that would do anything good"

"What does that 'hmph' mean?" Being a fellow comrade, Cliff easily noticed the implied tone, "Hopefully not another whatnot bout the World Union…"

"You got the point, didn't you? WU wouldn't give a damn about this little village. They are in the middle of an ongoing war with The Society for sanity's sake. That's why I believe his attempt would be futile" The girl continues wiping the tables around her, "He should have contacted mercenaries rather than WU"

"He only does what he thinks is right. Beside, hiring mercenaries would cost this village more than contacting WU" Cliff finishes peeling one potato and goes for another one, "Didn't he mention this village has been living in hardships ever since The Society took actions four years ago?"

"Cliff, Filgaia has been living in hardships ever since God created this planet" The silver haired lady moves to another table, continuing her deed, "And, so have we"

"Second that" The red eyed man shortly replies before peeling some other potatoes. Several minutes pass, he grows weary of the silent atmosphere and starts another talk, "Speaking of which, how long are we going to stay here? I'm tired of peeling potatoes and cooking all day long!"

"As long as it takes to acquire back our previous number of gella. You know, the one which you and Sophia stupidly lost" With a strict voice, Marilyn replies before angrily staring at her comrades. Cliff again noticed the stare, but quickly turns his head to pretend he saw nothing.

He shouldn't have touched this sensitive subject. Now he's anything but doomed.

Precisely, Marilyn wouldn't let him go so easily like that, "We wouldn't lose our money in the first place if you and Sophia didn't stupidly bet in the horserace like I told you two morons!!"

"Well, it couldn't be helped!! We needed a lot of money and Sophia suggested the idea!!" Cliff defends himself as the first battle of the day begins.

"And you actually listened to Sophia's idea?! But not mine?! Didn't you realize how air headed she has been all the time, Cliff?!"

"But…the horoscope page on Filgaeyaaah magazine told me I would make lots of money by betting it for something good!!"

"A horserace with twelve horses on the line with the winning chance being one out of eight was good while a football game where only two teams were playing with the winning chance being one out of two wasn't good?! Hm? Is that what you wanna say?!"

"But did you have any guarantee your team would win the match, Marilyn?!"

"I didn't, but I wouldn't have bet all the gellas in our pockets either!!! And the least of all the chance for it was fifty-fifty!!"

"Hey, Alvin chose abstain!! He should be blamed for not wanting to take the responsibility too!!"

"I couldn't blame him cause he prefer not wanting to do with the bet!! But you, I could!"

Cliff is in no favor to win. He just realized from the start of the debate Marilyn has been gaining the upper hand and there's no way for him to turn the table. He lost.

"Well…." The bell rings and this round was won by Marilyn, "No…you were right all along. This is my fault for trusting Sophia…"

"Good, now get back to your work because we have more things to do today!! You shouldn't have rebutted me knowing you never were a good debater!!" Marilyn proudly grins to celebrate her victory over Cliff for god only knows how many times. Cliff makes faces before going back peeling the potatoes. He feels bitter about his lost…and of course the lost of almost their gellas.

For all he knows, Marilyn is always like this. She isn't your typical goody-goody and submissive girl who is willing to do anything without even being asked. She despises losing above anything else, especially to men. Marilyn is also a strong willed woman with a steeled heart. She planned all her doings almost perfectly, and she demands perfection of the execution. She's a bit hotheaded and wouldn't like to show her feelings in front of people…well, except for one person. Her words, her smile, her doings, almost all of them are fettered. It's as if she never meant any of that from inside her heart. She did that just because she had to, no other reason. Although just like stated above, she lets everyone knows her anger or weariness when she feels necessary. However, she isn't evil at all. She's just stiff, that's all.

Not long after, the door of the inn opens and a gorgeous looking white skinned lady steps in. Wearing a long sleeved blue colored formal shirt covered by a short coat, her brown T-skirt is only centimeters away from the dark brown boots she wears. Black long curly hair with charming purple eyes; her face features a warm smile to the other two looking at her. "Howdy, Cliff? Havin some fun already?" The woman cheerfully greets the scarlet haired man.

"In a way or another, yeah" Cliff glances at Marilyn before eyeing back on the lady, "Where are the berries, Sophia?"

"Berries? What berries?" The gorgeous lady, who turns out to be Sophia which Cliff and Marilyn have been referring all morning long, puts a confused smile on her face. Knowing that something is going wrong, Cliff and Marilyn shares an understanding look.

"The berries you supposed to be holding right now, Sophia. Didn't you mention you would get the berries from the plantation just half an hour ago?" A simple explanation escapes within Marilyn's voice, "Or…could it be that you forgot again?"

Sophia rolls her eyes before snapping her finger. 'Right, I forgot!!" is written all over her face. "Right, I forgot!! I put them near the plantation and forgot to bring them here!!" Sophia proudly exclaims in a stupid tone, "How do you know I forgot the berries, Marilyn?"

"Simple, you forgot half of the things you did" The dark eyed girl sarcastically responds, "If not…all"

Ignoring what Marilyn just said, Sophia exits the inn and dashes off to the plantation, "Wait me here, m'kay? I'll be back soon, fellas!!"

"Jesus Christ, twenty two year old yet her brain works as good as a two year old" Marilyn shakes her head in wonder before going back to her previous deed. Cliff lets out a small chuckle seeing both his comrades acted. Sophia is always like that. She's got one of the most gorgeous faces in the history of Filgaia. She's got good manners, great personality, and an unbelievable crack. Her soft and kind heart would surely melt any man down to her knees. But she is also a clumsy woman and an air headed who could forget anything she considers trivial in a matter of seconds. And these two downfalls on her part surely belittled her credibility. But, she is a good woman to have on your side.

"Don't be too hard on her, Marilyn. You knew she has always been a clumsy person" Cliff goes back peeling the potatoes. His job will be over anytime soon, "But, I think you should try to act softer to her a bit more. Her kind heart is unquestionable"

"So is her clumsiness" Marilyn retorts back, "She's got no respect for herself"

"Why would you say that?"

"Do you remember when she forgot to wear even the skimpiest of clothes and walked out from the inn when we were staying at Boot Hill? The entire town witnessed her walking mindlessly without an article of clothing, no?!! And worse, she didn't even feel anything about that!" Marilyn strikes an accusing glance to the red haired man, "If she wanted the whole world to show her entire skin that bad she should have modeled for Playboy!! Although I believe you were enjoying the view as well!!"

"Ukh…I would be lying if I said I wasn't" Cliff feels a bit uneasy responding to his comrade, "And I have to admit that she is a real knockout…"

"Hmph!! Men and their perverted minds!!!"

"What?! I wasn't being perverted!!! I was being honest!! I'm a normal young man, you know?!! Alvin also saw her, didn't he?!"

"Yeah, but he didn't admit it out loud like you did!!" For the second time today, Marilyn seals another win over the poor Cliff, "Sophia should respect herself more as a woman"

"Now, don't say that. Maybe you should try to act a little more like her, Marilyn. She's actually good natured"

"You mean I should act like a wimpy peddler? Thank you for the offer, but I'll let that one pass"

And up to this point, Cliff knows continuing to persuade her would be absurd. So, he only lets out a small disappointed sigh before finally finishes his job peeling the potatoes, "OK, I'm done with the potatoes. Any other things I should do?"

"As usual, prepare the steak and prepare the French fries for lunch" Marilyn orders, "Sophia and Alvin should be here anytime soon"

And she was right. "Man, I'm beat!!" A green haired dusky skinned man, his hair styled in ponytail, enters the inn and lets everyone know what he is thinking. He clad in a brown trousers and white semi-formal shirt covered by an unbuttoned black leather jacket. His green eyes stare surprisingly to Cliff, "Oh, Cliff is awake and diligently working? What a nice surprise"

"Morning, Alvin" Cliff reveals who the green haired man is, "Where's Mayor?"

"I'm here, Cliff" A middle aged man, grey haired with a calm looking face, wears formal clothes entering the scene, "Alvin dashes out of the car when we arrived"

"What? Why?"

"Cause I need to take a piss, that's why" Stating his reason, Alvin runs to the bathroom leaving the other three glaring at him. That's Alvin for you. He's the kind of guy who looks lanky and funky on the surface, but inside he's trustworthy, patient, and quite responsible. He is a nice guy you can find anywhere, but he's hardly a fool. Although for an adult, he doesn't really look mature but you can count on him when it comes to doing tasks he accepted. And he always prefers to speak only when he feels necessary.

"Marilyn, Cliff, can I ask you two a favor?" The mayor approaches both youngsters in the kitchen.

"Sure" Both answers in unison.

The mayor himself doesn't waste any second asking them, "Can you escort Sandra and the twins from the plantation now? Although Sophia is there, I'm kind of worried because…things didn't go well in the post office"

Understanding the implication on his worried voice, both Cliff and Marilyn nod before quickly exiting the inn, making their way to the healing berries plantation beside the surf village. Almost every villager living inside Surf Village has their fair share of personal crops inside the plantation. So does the mayor. It's only normal for him to worry about his family. The plantation is almost a mile away from the village and it is really vulnerable to an attack from the deserters if they were really going to come.

"Morning, Mr. Jim. Good day, Ms. Thornton" Cliff politely greets almost every single person he meets along his way inside the village. Marilyn doesn't necessarily greet, but she throws a little smile to the villagers whom she passes.

"Don't forget to read another storybook for the kids today too, Cliff" One of the villagers kindly reminds the red haired man on his way.

"Yeah, sure" He replies.

"Marilyn, I have the usual errand for you to do today if you want. Nannette told me she also wants you to help" A woman tells the braided girl.

"Thanks, Miss Hanson. I'll make sure to come by later" Marilyn simply responds. No kindness or weariness inside her voice, it's just plain fettered.

It's been almost a month since the group working in the inn. Originally, they are four drifters who lost their gellas for a stupid reason and ended up bumping on the village. In that one month, the villagers grew to like them and vice versa. The group is known as nice young adults who are friendly towards the villagers. Cliff likes to read the villagers' children a storybook whenever he got a free time. Sophia and Alvin usually spend their time helping the Mayor and his wife running the inn and the café. Because their café is highly popular in Surf Village; it's the place the villagers hang out the most. Marilyn…well, she dislikes playing or running the inn, unfortunately. She usually prefers helping the villagers collecting the healing berries see from the berries cave near Surf Village for a decent amount of money. Although that is rather cold for her to do, the villagers didn't mind at all. She helped them and they also helped her; it's pretty much a symbiosis mutualism.

"They are good people, it's such a waste World Union don't want to have anything to do with this" Cliff lower his voice when he tells what he thinks after hearing the implication the mayor told him earlier.

"Don't tell me I didn't tell you, okay?" The stiff girl stiffly replies, "The day the World Union actually care about their people is the day when ARMs wielders aren't hated by this world"

"Don't say that, Marilyn"

"Cliff, saying this world loves ARMs wielders is like saying The Genesis War never took place in Filgaia"

"Hey" Cliff implied a warning inside his respond, "Don't say that out loud"

"I'm sorry, I stated the truth" No desire to lose at all even in the most trivial things from Marilyn, "Just like I always did"

"Yes, but not all truths are necessary to be spoken" Cliff carries on the conversation as they finally exits the village and heads straight to the berries plantation, "Sometimes, truths aren't good enough"

"That depends, because truths hurt. People should live with that fact" Marilyn gives a fettered glance to Cliff, "Just like us, we should live with that fact"

"Haven't we always?" The trench coat clothed man agrees when they finally arrive on the plantation, "There they are"

Cliff points to Sophia and three other persons beside her, a grey haired woman on her early forties and twin grey haired boys. Needles to say, they are the Sandra, Mayor's wife, and the twins, mayor's kids. "Ah, that's Cliff and Marilyn" Sophia tells the other three who quickly take a quick notice, "What are they doing here?"

"Maybe James sent them here" Misses Bricks guesses and also reveals her husband's name, letting both her sons runs toward Cliff, "For a matter of security, perhaps"

"Cliff, read me Aladdin today!!" One of the boys jumps to Cliff embrace as the other tries to climb his back, "I want to know what happen to Jafar!!!"

"No, no!! Read me Lion King!!" The other boy pleads, "I want to know what happen to Scar!!"

"No, Michael!!! I want Aladdin!!"

"I'm sorry, Micah!! But I want Lion King!"

"OK, alright! I'll read you both once we got back in the inn. Bring your friends as usual, 'kay?" The maturing young adult couldn't resist their plea. Well, it's also to his liking anyway. Marilyn only gives a concerning look to Cliff and the kids. "_Why does he do the deeds for free? Stupid, not thinking for an opportunity to acquire more gella" _She gives her mind to the subject, although she wisely didn't say it out loud.

Cliff helps Misses Bricks carrying some of her berries baskets on the way back, because the kids already got one for each and Sophia brings two. Only Marilyn didn't offer her help. Her mind is somewhere else all the way, perhaps thinking about the errand informed to her earlier today.

Back in the inn, lunchtime is already here. Finishing their prepared lunch (French fries), the four drifters continue their planned job. As the villagers gather inside the café and enjoy their time, Sophia and Alvin initiatively help the mayor and his wife serving their foods and drinks. "Alvin, take this steaks and colas to table number 7. Sophia, please take the burgers and sausage to the Woody at table number 13" The mayor orders and gives the two young adults the ordered meals. Adequately as the mayor he remembers all his villagers.

"Sure" The two take the ordered meals to the respective customer, and then come back to take more orders. With the mayor and his wife in the kitchen, Sophia and Alvin in the café, the business goes quite well that afternoon. From the stairs, Marilyn is observing her friends doing their job quietly while Cliff walks downstairs beside her.

"You're going to help Miss Hanson?" Cliff asks something actually quite obvious to the silver haired girl as they both exit the inn.

"Yes" Marilyn shortly confirms, "It's not like I actually need a help, but I do think you should help me collecting the seeds so that we will acquire more gella quicker. Alvin also told me maybe he would help if he's done with the café quicker today"

"Alvin agreed? It's not that I don't want to help you, but…" Cliff points to at least a dozen children, Michael and Micah included, waiting in the back of the inn, "I promised to read them Lion King and Aladdin, remember?"

"Cliff, can't you just tell them Jafar and Scar died in the end so you can help me with the errand?"

"Marilyn, Jafar didn't die in the end. Genie sealed him inside the lamp, he didn't die" Something really obvious and quite true, actually. But not really proper as a respond, I tell you.

"Well, I could care less about that! I don't actually give a damn about Jafar or Scar! There's more serious problem about our financial condition remember?" Marilyn sharply clarifies her point, "Now, will you help me or not?"

"Yes" Cliff sighs out of disappointment, "But only after I read them both stories, deal?"

"….fine, just don't make me wait too long. I hate waiting for too long" Marilyn says nothing anymore and refuses from Cliff's sight. The red haired man sighs and slowly shakes his head seeing her. He knows she meant well. She is still concerned about the money and maybe she just want someone to accompany her doing her job. She just doesn't want to say it out loud.

"Is everything okay, Cliff?" Michael asks from his behind, concerned.

"Yes, everything's fine. I'll read both stories for you and your friends. But after that I have to help Marilyn, okay?" Cliff points out his plan, which Michael welcomes with a nod. The two go to where the kids have been waiting for the stories.

Cliff reads them how Scar was sent to his demise because of his own foolishness and Jafar met his new place for the next ten thousand years because his own greediness for power. Shortly thereafter, Cliff fulfills his promise to go helping Marilyn. Heading to Miss Hanson's house, he finds Marilyn in front of the house talking to Miss Hanson. Alvin is standing behind the young girl quietly.

"Oh, he's here" Marilyn notices Cliff's coming.

"Good, dear. He and Alvin can help you, then" Miss Hanson tells her.

"So, how's the errand going?" Cliff approaches his comrade and wastes no time asking.

"Marilyn helped Nannette collecting the seeds, child" The old woman smiles when she explains what the fettered girl has done for her, "So, that leaves me alone"

"Don't worry; I'll help Marilyn collecting the seeds" Cliff ensures the old lady before he and Marilyn take their leave to the healing berries cave. Whenever drifters bumped into this town, it's only normal for the villagers to ask their help collecting the seeds from the cave. Simply because the cave is known as nest of monsters, although they don't go out eating humans, they will bite whoever dares to step inside their nest. Unlike the drifters, villagers aren't combatants so they won't be able to fight the monsters if the monsters really attack. And needless to say, the villagers will pay the drifters for doing them an important deed.

Same as Marilyn; she does the deed for the villagers for money. She mostly did it alone, although sometimes Sophia and Alvin took turn helping her if they weren't too busy. Cliff never helped her because he was always too busy with the kids.

"You're done with the kids, Cliff?" Alvin asks the red haired man to fill some time during the journey to the berry village.

"Yes, thankfully" Cliff answers with a proud smile.

"Personally, I never saw you coming" Marilyn tells Cliff without bothering to look at him. But she implied a 'thank you' inside her tone.

"You're welcome" Cliff got that right, "So, how are we going to do this?"

"I don't bring my gloves, so I'll settle with my legs" Alvin was the first to answer.

"I'm going to use my sword as always. But you cannot use 'that' you know, Cliff? If they find out, they'll kick us the hell out of here" The fettered girl puts another hint on her answer, "That's why I hope you bring your secondary weapon with you"

"No worries" Cliff taps the right side of his trench coat, "I have prepared myself as well"

"Good boy" Marilyn says as they finally enter the cave and spot dozens Rotten Beasts turning their attention on them. And needless to say, the rotten beasts would want to devour them.

"A welcoming committee" Cliff smirks and pulls out a pair of giant shears, around five feet long, from behind his green trench coat, "How nice"

"If what you said is true, they have to be the ugliest welcoming committee in existence" Marilyn beams.

"And the lamest too" Alvin dryly adds.

"Where are the seeds?" Cliff prepares a battle stance once the beasts starting to run to his direction.

"On the deepest corner of the cave, see you there" Readying to turn on her accelerator, Marilyn glares toward the beasts before encouraging Cliff with her own style, "Don't let your enormous strength bests your durability, Cliff!"

"And don't let your accelerator beats your courage, Marilyn!!" The red haired man gets the joke.

"Get a room" Alvin chuckles with a very low tone so the two wouldn't hear him as he dashes to the direction of the beast.

Cliff, noticing how the beasts are really close to him, welcomes one beast who fearlessly and foolishly throws his claw to him by plunging the giant shears to his claw. The red haired man refuses to let any second go and mercilessly tear the claws out by pulling the shears. The beast wails in pain, letting the entire cave recognizes his agony. But his pain is ephemeral, because Cliff plunges the shears to his neck and cuts it off in less than three seconds without giving it one last chance to scream. With one beast down, Cliff focuses on another pretty quick.

The giant shears weight around 220 lbs and it would take a hell of an effort for any normal person to move it. But for Cliff, swinging and using the shears is like lifting a feather. His natural enormous physical strength, despite his normal height and weight, allows him to do so. And rest assured that's not all he can do.

Alvin moves swiftly among the horde of beasts with ease. Their claw attack or their fang attack provide little to no threat to him. Leaping shortly above one of the beasts, Alvin executes a butterfly kick right to the back of the beast, violently pummeling him to the cave floor and instantly killing him. The green haired man rapidly lands and moves to below another beast, attacking him on his jaw using the Crescent Kick. And to momentarily end his series of attack, Alvin leaps once again and maims another beast with the Butterfly Kick in the similar fashion like he did with the first one. The desert native takes a second to catch breath before returning his attention to the monsters.

Alvin is a martial art expert and he executes his kicks pretty swift too. Combining his above average speed and his potent physical strength, he handles unarmed combats with ease, especially since this is important to fulfill his dream.

Marilyn calmly reaches her sword as the beasts starting to gather around her. After she unsheathes her sword, she reveals Iskander Bey, the legendary sword. Its craftsmanship equals its beauty. Enchanting yet deadly, the sword can only be used by certain swordsmen. And Marilyn is one of them. One beast tries to cut her off using both its claws but the silver haired girl calmly lowers herself near the ground before cutting both its claws in one single slash. Before the beast wails to release its pain, Marilyn thrusts its neck and quickly pulls off her sword. Setting her sight on three other beasts, the swordswoman makes a good use of her accelerator and detaches their head off their neck in one strike, unseen and unheard by any of the monsters. Nonetheless, a glimmer of enjoyment lit on her eyes.

A skillful swordswoman, Marilyn handles her treasured Iskander Bey perfectly. Although she is particularly a fettered person, she would never hesitate to unsheathe Iskander Bey whenever she feels the need to. Her accelerator proves to be the perfect pairing for her swordsmanship. She attacks and defenses composedly on her battles, making her a deadly adversary for nearly everyone opposing her.

Cliff hits a beast's head with shears before thrusting the shears inside his neck and detaching his head off forcefully. Another beast tries to bite him from behind, but Cliff quickly pinches one of the fangs and lifts him to the air. Trying to make a good use of the wailing beast on his mercy, the red haired man throws away the beast into its own horde, scattering them all and giving him a chance to wreak even more havoc for the beasts. With rapid pace, Cliff appears among the beasts and pinches one of the beasts neck, allowing him to spin around and hit the beasts with the one he got on his hands before sending the unfortunate martyr harshly to the cave wall. Several other beasts try to jump and take him down from the air, but it's useless. Using his shears one more time, Cliff spins it around and utilizes the clipper to hit all their torsos before they reach him. The trench coated man plunges another unfortunate beast on its stomach pre repeating what he did before, using it to maim its own kind with a spinning attack before tearing its stomach off. Blood of the other beasts can be seen everywhere on the path he fought. The beasts suddenly realize they aren't dealing with an everyday goody-goody guy around here. Seeing Cliff's red figure standing on their kind corpses belittles their courage. And without even themselves noticing, they are slowly retreating from the man. But once Cliff sets his sight on them, something inside them tells them that it's too late for them to retreat now. The red figure wouldn't let any of them escape him alive. And he proves that as he dismantles the monsters; he tears them off one by one until not even one beast standing on his eyesight anymore.

Alvin performs a Roundhouse Kick to a beast and knocks him down as he battles his way inside. The dusky skinned man spins around three beasts before giving them the taste of his Spinning Kick for each; spinning three times in a row to bring them down to the cave floor. Realizing one of them gets back when at least another four are going for his from separate direction; Alvin brings both his legs to the recuperated monster's neck before executing a really fine scissor kick and smashing his opponent in style, leaving three more left. He wastes no time to display a Flying Kick and hit one of the beasts before turning around to perform a Jump Spin Hook Kick to the beast on his behind, leaving one single beast for his to handle. The beast looks scared of him by the way he handled other beasts, but that doesn't stop the green haired man at all. He quickly heads to the scared monster direction and prepares his heel to perform the Reverse Triple Roundhouse Kick. He gives a low reverse roundhouse kick to the beast's ankle, and before the beast falls down he gives a middle reverse roundhouse kick to the beast's hip, perfectly maintaining him on the air. Alvin finalizes by leaping and giving the beats the taste of his reverse high roundhouse kick, resulting on the beast flying right to the cave wall in a very painful and violent way before uncomfortably landing to the cave floor. Seeing the last of his opponents lies motionless, Alvin feels content and heads inside.

Thrusting one of the monsters' jaws after evading a fang attack easily, Marilyn connects another slash to kill a beast approaching from her behind. She leaps into above one beast to smoothly slash its back, and then proceeds to slain another one after slashing its upper head off after she landed on the ground cautiously. Cleanses her sword while she observes the current stand, she spots at least a dozen beasts are trying to gang up on her. Yet, she doesn't show any sign of being afraid at all. Enjoyment is written all over her face; her pleased smile perfectly symbolizes it. Marilyn rapidly dashes toward the group of the waiting beast to share what she thinks of them, and she starts it by detaching yet another unfortunate beast's head. Rolling her sword in her hand, Marilyn slices both fangs of the beast beside her and proceeds to pierce the head of one beast behind her before turning her attention back to the fangless beast and slices his face off. Another beast stupidly attacks her from next to her only to meet its demise after one quick slash to its neck. Four beasts are down, eight more to go. Not giving the smallest of chance for the remaining beasts to attack her, Marilyn activates her accelerator and moves in a blinding speed, leaving a trail of after images behind her every step. The eight monsters are too slow to catch up with her movements. All they could feel is a cold win touching their neck. And before they realize it, Marilyn is already standing behind them, her lips escapes a ghost of victorious smile. The beasts quickly turn their back to chase her, but as they do so their head falls off to the cave floor. Bloods spray from each and every one of their detached neck as their body crumbles to eternal rest. The Guillotine, that's how the swordswoman called the technique she just displayed perfectly.

Every time she does this errand, beasts would always welcome her like this. But today, her job is much easier because she got two trustworthy companions alongside her. Usually she would have preferred to avoid hordes of beasts all by herself, making her bored and not capable of executing freer moves like The Guillotine she just did. She would secretly admit she enjoyed doing it.

Making it deeper inside the cave, she finds Cliff and Alvin standing quietly in front of her. Their back is facing her. That means something is going on in there. Marilyn quickly rushes to his side and sees another Rotten Beast, but this one is three times bigger than the normal sized Rotten Beast.

"The chairman of the welcoming committee" Cliff jokes again, "How nice"

"How lame" Alvin personally comments.

"Then, he has to be the ugliest chairman of the ugliest welcoming committee in existence" Marilyn responds with a little smile, "So, the usual trick?"

Before both glancing at Alvin, Cliff and Marilyn glance at each other after Marilyn tips him, sharing an understanding stare. Cliff prepares his shears and runs toward the beast who is starting to make his way to them also. Alvinn follows Cliff from behind, but instead of using his speed to oust him the man leaps into Cliff's right shoulder, perfectly jumps forward by using the shoulder to give himelf a higher spot to perform his leap. The monster is fairly confused whether to take on Cliff first or Alvin first, giving the two the slight edge to quickly end the battle.

Cliff pierces with his clippers and cuts the Giant Rotten Beast's stomach perfectly by the time Alvin connects a Flying Side Kick right to the monster's head. Blood sprays from its stomach and head as Cliff pulls out his shears when Alvin softly lands, both wait for Marilyn to deal the final blow.

Preparing her Iskander Bey, Marilyn activates her accelerator once again and in a demon speed cuts the beast's torso into two; the prove being she already sheathing her sword behind the beast while just a moment ago she was in front of the monster.

Blood gushes from the beast's body as he falls to his death.

"Well executed" Alvin genuinely praises the silver haired girl.

"So? Was that the last one?" Cliff asks his companion while observing his surrounding in case other beasts show up wanting to get their ass kicked.

"Tired already? I thought you were enjoying it?" Marilyn gives another hint; the giant beast indeed was the last one.

"You enjoyed it more than I did" Cliff puts his shears back behind his trench coat, "So; the seeds are still deeper inside the cave?"

"Yup, let's go" And the three go deeper inside the cave. With the beasts all gone, their task is easier than stealing a candy from a baby. In less than ten minutes, they already collected two basks full of healing berries seeds.

The three slowly walks out from the cave, trying carefully not to drop any single seed or else their payment would be decreased. "So, I fulfilled my promise, right?" Cliff opens another conversation on their way back.

"You always did. That's one good thing about you" Marilyn praises him dryly. .

"Is that praise of yours genuine, Marilyn?"

"You decide"

"No, you decide"

"Well, I guess that was genuine. I admit that you're a man of your word. But, that's all" Marilyn, still doesn't feel like losing even for the smallest of matters, tries her best not to sound defeated.

"No thank you or whatsoever?"

"Thank you" Marilyn reluctantly says, colorlessly.

"You're welcome" Cliff, however, replies genuinely. That's the difference between the two, the one isn't afraid of showing his feelings yet the other one is the other way around. Makes you wonder how they became friends in the first place, huh? Well, but an old says opposite attracts each other, no?

By the way, Alvin stays quiet. It seems that he prefers to listen to his two friends to give himself some more entertainment.

"Either way, I want you to come with me again tomorrow if someone asks me for another errand" Marilyn informs the red haired man with authority on her voice.

"What?! Wasn't today enough?!" Cliff protests, "The beasts are all gone?! What do you need my help for?!"

"I never said today would be enough" The silver haired girl calmly responds, "So, that means you still have to go with me tomorrow"

"That doesn't mean so!!"

"That does"

"That doesn't!!!"

"That does"

"That doesn't!!!"

"That does"

"That doesn't!"

Feeling annoyed, Marilyn stops walking and stares coldly at Cliff. One more thing about her, she doesn't take 'no' for an answer.

"I need your help to carry the seeds. More seeds mean more payment" The braided girl tells him with annoyance on her voice.

"Can't Alvin do it?!" Cliff retorts back.

"You hate accompanying me that much?" A piercing question, right to the heart of the trench coated man.

"Well, that's no it…" Cliff begins losing…yet again.

"So? Why?" And Marilyn begins winning…yet again, "You hate working together with me?"

"No…"

"Really? But your acts say otherwise"

"Uh….well…"

"That's weird, if my memory serves me right, didn't you promise me to be my friend when we first ran into each other?" Marilyn draws her ace to seal any chance for Cliff to talk back, "What does friend do?"

"Friend…looks out for each other"

"Right, my friend. Are you intending to break the promise?"

"No!" Cliff shouts, "I'm a man of my word!!"

"So, will this 'man of his word' back away now or do what he promised like a real man?"

"Ugh!!! Okay, alright!!! You win!! You win!!!" And the victory goes to Marilyn…again, "I'll help you tomorrow!! And then the day after tomorrow!! And then the day after the day after tomorrow!!"

"Good, that's what I want to hear" Marilyn smiles victoriously, "By the way, why did you refuse to help me in the first place?"

"No need for you to know" Cliff says and then resumes walking.

"There is a need for me to know" Marilyn insists, catching up with Cliff, "You never said no for no reason"

"If I tell you, there's no way you're going to believe me"

"Try me"

"…I'm planning to doze off till afternoon tomorrow. I've been feeling sleepy all day long cause you woke me up this morning"

For a second, everything around the two is quiet. Really quiet, not even the slightest of the moving wind makes a noise. Without making any warning or whatsoever, Marilyn activates her accelerator and chops Cliff right on his face using her Roundhouse Chop. His face got cemented down on the ground as it unknowingly makes a questioning look, "_What the hell did she kick me for?!"_

"You are the freaking worst, Cliff Margester!!!" The silver haired girl turns into her demon form, "You refused to accompany me because you want to sleep all day long!! It was you who brought us to our financial problem in the first place!! It was you who promised me!!! And now, when I'm trying to make up for YOUR mistake, you want to sleep a like a dead man for twelve hours?!! Well, knock yourself out you prick!!! I'm not going to care anymore!!!"

And there she goes away, leaving Cliff staring at her mindlessly as he rises, "For God's sake, it's been three years since I first met her, but she is still the same old Marilyn Westerfield. So, some things really never changed, huh?"

"Hell yeah" Alvin rights Cliff before he walks away, "And also, the part when a chick keep beating your ass after three years…that too, never changed"

Marilyn's a bit hotheaded and wouldn't like to show her feelings in front of people…well, except for one person, Cliff...the first real friend she ever had after rough years in her life.

And that's the two friends for you all.

_********_

Around a quarter mile from Surf Village, in the top of the berries cave, two soldiers in Army Combat Uniform is seen observing the village with goggles. "There's the village" One of them says, "You go back and inform the Second Lieutenant about this. I'll stay here to make sure none of our troopers or guys from The Society come to this village"

"Roger that. This village will provide us with money and ransom" The other soldier comments, "And probably some pussies. Let's just hope those drifters wouldn't be much of a hindrance"

"Are you out of your mind? We got more than thirty foot soldiers, an armored car with dozen soldiers, a tank and a super heavy tank! How could they beat us?" His friend ensures him, "Now, go tell the Second Lieutenant!!"

The soldier nods and runs back to the appointed point. The mayor's fear has become reality. The deserters from World Union are indeed targeting Surf Village. And it's not long before they reach their target. It's just a matter of time.

Well, all good things come to an end now, don't they?

_********_

**That's it for the first real story in The Crimson. More about the characters will be explained in the next chapter (along with some trivia). Cliff & Marilyn are respectively the male lead and female lead in this story, so it's only normal if they got more screen time than the others (especially in the opening story. If you say otherwise, then by all means, you're out of your mind). **

**Reviews will be appreciated (^^), thanks for reading anyway. **

**And btw, the list below is the terminology in The Crimson universe. It is strongly suggested that you read it first so you won't get confused reading this story:**

**The Genesis War**

**Forty years prior to the story, Solomon, God of the Metal Demons, came to invade and rule Filgaia along with his Ars Goetia, the 72 Great Demon Lords. The World Union, along with the biggest kingdom in Filgaia at that time, Albion, combined their effort to stop the metal demons together. However, after 2 years of battle World Union and Albion were eventually overpowered and defeated. As the result of the defeat, Solomon and his Ars Goetia along with millions of his metal demons soldiers ruled Filgaia for the next fifteen years. When all hopes seemed lost, a legendary swordsman, mostly known by his nickname 'The Red Paladin', led a guild named 'Red Moon' which members consisted of bands of drifters, bandits, thieves, assassins, knights, and many other warriors from all over the world to raise their weapon one more time. With the aid of the last queen of Albion widely known as The Wizard Queen, Red Moon defeated Solomon and his Ars Goetia after long exhausting fight for a year and brought peace to Filgaia one more time. **

**Solomon**

**God of The Metal Demons from Hiades, known also as The Doomsday. After the defeat of Mother millenniums ago and the supposed destruction of Hiades, Solomon hid for eons recreating his million metal demons warriors. Being a god, he is stronger than any entity in existence; able to manipulate various kind of high class magic and nearly unparalleled in close range combat, especially with his weapon of preference, Glumzamber. As the absolute creator of the metal demons, he also possessed a vast knowledge of the Guardians and Filgaia. He led his Ars Goetia and Metal Demon warriors to rule Filgaia. Although his plan was running comprehensively for fifteen years, Silver Moon under the leadership of The Red Paladin proved to be a threat to his reign. It wasn't until The Wizard Queen showed up assisted by the guardians that Solomon was eventually defeated once and for all in a long grueling battle after The Red Paladin combined his power with The Wizard Queen. **

**Ars Goetia**

**The 72 Great Demon Lords under the direct command of Solomon, they were obviously far stronger than those of normal demons. They played a major role on the downfall of World Union and Albion Kingdom during the first attack to Filgaia. Ironically, it was the defeat of one of them in the hand of The Red Paladin that brought a shred of hope to Filgaia after dark years inside hell on earth.**

**The Red Paladin**

**The legendary master swordsman, the hero of legend, or so Filgaia regarded him as. A young man with unrivaled swordsmanship, he wielded Argetlahm Sword, emerged out of nowhere and defeated one of The Ars Goetia to openly challenge Solomon and his warriors, at the same time showing to Filgaia that there was indeed one last hope for this land. Along with the legendary warrior guild he created, Red Moon, he led the battle against the metal demons for a year before finally defeating Solomon using everything he got in his arsenal with the aid of The Wizard Queen. A kind hearted and honorable man feared by his opponents and respected by his comrades, he is definitely a true warrior in combat. Some said his heart is bigger than his power. Legend has it that after bringing peace to Filgaia one more time, he later married The Wizard Queen and lived somewhere secretly in Filgaia. **

**The Wizard Queen**

**The last queen of Albion Kingdom; right after she was born her kingdom began a war against Solomon and his Ars Goetia. Her mother, by that time The Queen of Albion, along with several of her servants were the only survivors from the kingdom. Living the role as the medium of The Guardians, her mother passed her everything she knew as The Wizard Queen grew up in a hard time. Having a natural talent herself, she eventually mastered almost all high class magic and was crowned as The Queen of Albion before her mother passed away, thus nicknamed her The Wizard Queen. With the guardian aiding her and the spirit of her people encouraging her, she assisted Red Moon several months after the war against Solomon and his Ars Goetia began. She played a pivotal role in the downfall of Solomon by supporting The Red Paladin using the guardians and fairly all her magic. A respected and charismatic young woman, her beauty inside her looks is equivalent to her beauty in the war field. After the demise of Solomon, The Red Paladin married her and they lived happily somewhere in Filgaia. Later, she bore him a child. But this fact is kept secret from the world for a certain purpose.**

**Red Moon**

**The legendary warrior guild founded by The Red Paladin. The guild's members consisted of bands of drifters, bandits, thieves, assassins, knights, and many other warriors from all over the world. Among thousands of members, there were five warriors who were regarded by The Great Paladin as his strongest and most trusted comrades known as The Red Swords. Red Moon had an important role on defeating Solomon and his Ars Goetia.**

**World Union**

**World Union is the highest governing authority in the entire Filgaia (although they met their demise in the hands of Solomon and his Ars Goetia). After The Genesis War one of The Red Swords from Red Moon recreated the organization to maintain the peace in Filgaia. For mean of combat, they have their WU soldiers. Their strongest asset in combat is their special soldiers they refer to as The Peacemakers, eleven soldiers with super-human abilities, and each member of The Peacemakers is equivalent to an entire battalion. Despite having a Red Sword leading them, World Union is known to be a corrupt government filled with internal conflicts. Ever since Ipswich Square Massacre, they are on an ongoing battle with The Society to eliminate all the remaining ARMs wielders in Filgaia.**

**The Society**

**The biggest military organization in Filgaia; on the contrary of World Union, The Society strongly oppose to the elimination of ARMs wielders. The Society believes that this world should be ruled by ARMs wielders only, or the Chosen, as they prefer to call The ARMs Wielders. They are led by six strong ARMs wielders called The Six Arcadius and currently having an ongoing battle with World Union because of Ipswich Square Massacre. Their soldiers are called The Urban, physically enhanced soldiers with potent combat ability. **


	3. The Four Garrison

**Chapter 3**

"_**We are nothing like God. Not only are our powers limited, but sometimes we have to play the devil himself"**_

_**Nicholas The Punisher**_

_**(Trigun)**_

**The explanation for the kicking techniques, artilleries, and firearms can be found in Wikipedia. Cliff's style of battle is heavily influenced by Randel Oland from Pumpkin Scissors. This chapter is pretty much inspired by Rudy's prologue story from Wild ARMs : Alter Code F.**

**I'll explain more about this story and its characters on the author's note below.**

**The sonnet in this chapter rightfully belongs to Wilfred Owen.**

After one exhausting day the café closed at 11 PM, giving the four drifters and mayor's family a chance to rest.

"So, it's your shift to stay as the receptionist tonight?" Sophia asks Alvin who is swaying around with his chair on the receptionist table, "That means I can sleep peacefully right after this"

"He-eh, Misses Bricks requested me to for tonight and it's not like I got anything else to do. So, here I am" The lanky guy lankily responds, "And not to mention Cliff can't be counted upon when it comes to wake up all night long. He will doze off any second and Marilyn would have to kick the crap out of him to wake him up the next morning. You know, just like always"

"Hehe, that's right" The dark haired girl agrees with a big smile on her face, "By the way, I'm going to get myself a coffee. I'll make one for you if you want"

"Huh? You're going to drink a coffee? Aren't you going to sleep soon?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah right! I forgot!" The dark haired girl put her palm on her forehead with a very stupid face. She is really a forgetful person, "Thank lord you mentioned!"

"OK, don't mind it" Alvin says with a deep understanding inside his voice, "Either way, I would like a coffee. So, if you please"

"Yes?" Sophia questions, still with the stupid face.

"If you please…." Alvin starts smelling something stupid, "I don't mind a coffee"

"You want me to make you a coffee?"

"Yes…because you offered me in the first place"

"Oh…I must have forgotten again!" Sophia dashes off to the kitchen right away, "Don't worry, I'll be back with a coffee!"

"Goodness…the only thing she could remember is the things she forgot…" Alvin shakes his head to release his confusion, "How come she never changed at all? Why she never forgets her own name is beyond me…"

A moment later, Sophia comes back with a cup of coffee. Alvin gently accepts the coffee after thanking her and sips it. "Wew, this should let me stay awake for the night" The green haired man expresses his gratitude, "Man, I'm sure gonna miss this place when we leave it"

"Same here, the people are all nice and gentle" The purple eyed woman seconds his opinion, "Thanks god they are yet to find our secret, or else their treatment would have been so much different"

"Hey, don't start talking like Marilyn" Alvin quickly disputes what Sophia just said, "It's rather unnecessary"

"I don't like it whenever Marilyn stated this, too. However, from what we have experienced, it's true…every word of it" The forgetful girl calmly answers back, "Then again, if we manage to get our payment without any sort of problem, we can get out of here clean and might come back someday in the future still clean"

"Now, that's what I want to hear" Alvin smiles, finally the atmosphere has gotten lighter, "You're going to hit the bed, now?"

"Yes, I suppose"

"Then, good night"

"Night" And the two part ways. The other one goes straight to be and the other one…stays at his current position.

Meanwhile, Cliff is reading the twins another story. "Finally, Sleeping Beauty and her prince live happily ever after" Cliff concludes the story, "OK, kids. It's time for you to go to bed"

"Wait, can I ask you one thing?" Micah displays an enormous curiosity on his eyes. And Cliff surely doesn't refuse.

"Sure"

"Why do every princess story like Cinderella, Snow White, and The Sleeping Beauty you just read always got 'live happily ever after' as their ending?" An innocent yet thoughtful question from a ten year old, not bad.

"Hm, I guess because it suits you children" Cliff answers with a very good reason, "If the ending was like….and they rule the world for eternity or zombie causes an outbreak, I think you would get a nightmare, wouldn't you?"

"That's reasonable" Michaels tells his brother, "Well, we got to sleep now. Night, Cliff!"

"Night, kids" So, Cliff exits the room to find Misses Bricks outside.

"Thanks for reading the kids yet another story" The mayor's wife genuinely thanks the red haired man.

"Never mind, it's always a pleasure"

"Really? Is that also the reason why you read with a genuine passion?"

"No, it's…" Cliff directly recalls a memory, "A childhood friend of mine…she used to read me bedtime stories when I was a little kid because we usually slept together. And she read it with such a genuine passion. I only followed her"

"Ow, you got a girlfriend back there in your hometown?" Misses Bricks asks with a surprised tone, "She must be such a great lady"

"Right, mam. She was such a good person" Cliff answers with a smile, but he obviously underlined something on his answer. And Misses Bricks got what he meant by 'was'.

"My apologies" The lady quickly apologize for her doing, "I wasn't aware of my unknowing"

"No need for one, mam" Cliff then excuses himself, "Now, if I may excuse myself I shall get back to the inn"

"Yes, thanks for the kids"

"You're welcome"

The trench coated man heads back to the inn and enters through the café. "Hey, Cliff" The mayor greets him from one of the tables. Although the inn opens 24/7, the café closed at 11 o'clock. So, the owner usually spends some time for himself (sometimes with his wife) in the café.

"Mayor?" Cliff approaches him and sits on the table, "You're still awake? Alvin is attending in the receptionist table you know"

"I knew that. I just want to spend some time for myself" The mayor offers him a wine, "Here, take a sip"

"Thanks for the offer, but I'm straightedge" Cliff explains his refusal in a polite manner.

"Oh, alright. That's a good way of living" The mayor kindly understands, "I'm glad you are a good man. You didn't do anything unnecessary with either your companions or the town folks here"

"Anything unnecessary?"

"You know; consummate a personal need physically in my place which would affect my children psychologically" The mayor refers to what we know as having an intercourse.

"Oh, that…" Cliff smirks, getting his point, "No worries, sir. I believe not in pre-marital intercourse"

"Hahaha! Is that why Marilyn keeps getting impatient with you?"

"Huh? What does this have to do with Marilyn?"

"Well, not having an intercourse to make sure if you're with the right woman, or in her case the right man, must be difficult, no?"

"Oh, you mistook us" Cliff quickly disputes the guess, "Marilyn isn't my girlfriend. We're just best friends, that's all"

"Are you being serious? Marilyn isn't your girlfriend?" There's a deep disbelieve inside the mayor's voice, "I'm sorry, you two were so close and got along well. I thought you were a couple"

"I'm flattered, but we're not a couple" Cliff deals with the problem like an adult, "She is already taken"

"You mean…she's married?"

"No, I mean she's deeply in love with another man who saved her life before" Cliff recalls some old story, "Do you notice that Marilyn always carries a sheathed sword on her belt?"

"Yes"

"That sword was given to her by the man she loves. That's why she treasures it so much. And her love is also the reason why she became a drifter in the first place. She wants to find the love of her life whom she got separated with after an unfortunate peril. A touching love story, eh?"

"The love of her life? How old is Marilyn?"

"She's 18"

"And you?"

"I'm 21" Cliff reveals his age.

"Well, she is in a good age for falling in love. How 'bout you, Cliff? You got some lover back there in your place?" The mayor continues the late night conversation, "Twenty one seems to be a good age for setting up future life, right?"

"Yes, but I'm single" Cliff chuckles, "I'm not thinking about love or such right now. I prefer to consider that choice of life when I'm a bit older"

"Well, an advice from your elder, don't take too long finding your love. Your life will worth more if you have someone you hold dear beside you"

"Advice taken, mayor. But, I strongly believe there is one important thing before love"

"What is it?"

"A dream, sir. Something that keeps you alive" Cliff tells the mayor with a deep voice. There is something inside that voice of his. Something feels like a goal, a desire, a hope. There is no lie on what he just said.

"Yes, that's true. Dream is also something important for your life" The mayor, although not fully understand what Cliff is trying to imply, tries to keeps the conversation alive, "When I was at your age, my dream was to live happily for the rest of my life in my own café with my family"

"So, it seems that you already accomplished your dream" Cliff puts an honest smile on his face, which the mayor replies.

"I guess so. All I have to do is to protect the dream I currently living"

"I see…" Cliff looks to the window after the mayor replied, long enough to make the mayor notice something.

"What's wrong, Cliff?" The mayor looks concerned, "What's outside?"

"No...it was just me" the red haired man gets up from his chair and excuses himself, "Well, good night, sir. Have a nice dream"

"Hehe, you too"

_Meanwhile, inside the girls' room…_

"That lousy stupid Cliff! How dare he put sleeping over accompanying me? What kind of friend is he?" Marilyn protests loudly above her bed so Sophia who is brushing her hair could hear it, "He is the lowest of the low!"

"C'mon, sister. You knew Cliff loves sleeping more than anything" The dark haired woman tries to cheer her up, "Heck, I bet he loves sleeping more than finding a girl to spend his life with"

"Meh, I bet his girlfriend would have drowsy eyes and sleeps like a drunken bull!" The silver haired girl lets Sophia know more of what she thinks about Cliff's possible girlfriend, "The only girl suits him is sleeping beauty! Maybe after sleeping their way to their marriage they will sleep till the end of days!"

"Hey, no need to go that far. That's cruel, Marilyn"

"Really, Sophia? Aren't you sure Cliff isn't too sleepy to even find a woman?" Marilyn rebuts Alvin's saying. She is really rude when she's angry, "I personally began to think he is too sleepy to snuggle with one!"

"Oh, I'm sure he isn't" Sophia backs away, "Love isn't something small. Love won't be defeated by exhaustion alone"

"How would you know that? It's not like you have fell in love before!"

"But you have" Sophia hits a bulls eye, silencing Marilyn for a second, "You should know that feeling better than anyone else here, right?"

"Yes, but…" Marilyn stammers when she tries to argue, showing that Sophia is indeed right, "Unlike me, Cliff is…"

But Marilyn is soon interrupted by a red figure entering the girls' room without permission, "Girls? Are you still awake?"

"Jesus Christ! Cliff!" Marilyn couldn't contain the shock on her face, "Couldn't you at least knock the door? What if we were changing?"

"Lucky me, you weren't" Cliff disputes the possibility as quick as possible.

"Come in, Cliff. What can we do for you?" Sophia welcomes Cliff rather pleasantly.

"Actually…" Cliff nervously rubs the back of his head when he looks at Marilyn, "I'm here to…apologize about what happened earlier today, Marilyn"

"Today? What happened today? I can't remember", Poor Cliff; Marilyn acts like she doesn't know. Well, if she acts like she does know, that would feel like losing right? And Marilyn hates losing, especially to men,

"Come on, Marilyn! You know which one I was referring to!"

"Tough luck, Cliff. I don't think we're on the same page" Marilyn continues to act up. Sophia giggles seeing the two best friends arguing. And just like Alvin, she chooses to entertain herself seeing them quietly.

"_So, she wants me to confess what I did out loud? A good way of hinting things, Marilyn!"_Cliff figures out what the silver haired girl truly wants rather quickly. Well, he isn't her best friend for nothing, you know.

"I don't hear you saying anything" Marilyn pushes Cliff some more. She is grinning evilly.

"OK…I apologize for saying I choose to sleep instead of accompanying you running an errand" Cliff deals with it like a man, "There, happy now? Is my apology accepted?"

"Apology…is not accepted" Apparently, Marilyn wants something else. And her grin just got eviler, "Until you make up for your mistake, that is"

"Good God almighty! You still want me to go with you?" Cliff gets her point faster than anyone could, "So, I can't sleep all day long after all?"

"You can't" The braided girl delivers her final blow, "And wasn't it you who said you would accompany me tomorrow, and then the day after tomorrow. And then the day after the day after tomorrow"

"Me…and my big mouth" Cliff acknowledges his pitiful defeat, "When?"

"Eleven o'clock in the morning" Marilyn displays a victorious proud smile on her face, "Good night, Cliff"

"Good night…the both of you" The red eyed man retires from the girls room to have some sleep. Marilyn looks at Sophia still with her victorious smile.

"You were too cruel on him" Sophia chuckles, "But a good way of sealing your victory"

"Girls power!" Marilyn responds, "Cliff deserved it for refusing me in the first place"

"But he ended up asking for your forgiveness, didn't he?"

"Well, that's the funniest point! He's always that fun to toy with!" Marilyn starts dwindling all over her bed, "People said, keep your friends close but keep your enemies closer. But for me, it goes like this: keep my enemies close, keep my friend closer, and keep my best friend the closest!"

"Well…if you say so…" Sophia sighs before hitting her bed. But one thought cannot leave her mind, "_It's a miracle Cliff managed to keep up with her all this time. I wonder why?"_

By the way, Cliff gets a nightmare that night. About what? Take a wild guess (^^).

The next morning, the four drifters are going to run for a certain errand. The mayor asked them to go to the plantation and get as much berries as they can when he and his wife take care of the café. And now, they are on their way to the plantation.

"It's a lovely morning, isn't it?" Marilyn asks with a bit of happy tone to her comrades. Alvin and Sophia nod, but Cliff doesn't. His eyes are drowsy and he looks as sleepy as ever.

"What's wrong, Cliff? Still haven't got enough sleep last night?" Marilyn lightly mocks her best friend.

"And guess whose fault it was" Cliff indistinctly replies.

"It wasn't mine, was it? Because if it was and I forgot, I'm so sorry!" Sophia chimes into the conversation, but three stares from her three friends tell her she's got nothing to do with this at all…and pretty much shut her up.

"It wasn't mine, was it?" Marilyn continues the talk.

"Partly…it wasn't" The sleepy man answers sleepily.

"So partly, it was hers?" Alvin helps cliff clears his point.

"You can say so" The red haired man simply replies.

'Oh-ho, blaming me for some nightmare aren't we?" The silver haired girl sounds annoyed, "That is really mature, Cliff"

Cliff looks surprised learning Marilyn knows about his nightmare, "What? How do you know I was having a nightmare?"

"I understand you just as much as you understand me" Marilyn proudly explains, "Our friendship isn't one sided, Cliff"

And Marilyn's words remind Sophia of something, "_Come to think of it, she did mention something about keeping her best friend the closest. But I forgot almost the whole thing she said_"

"So, what was your dream look like?" Marilyn digs the problem deeper, "A scary looking old witch boiled you in a pot?"

"Almost right" The red eyed man frowns, "Why don't you take a wild guess?"

"About what?"

"About whom the old witch was"

"Wasn't me, was it?" The braided haired girl doesn't really seem to care whether it was her or not, "Cause if it was, I'll take it as a compliment"

"Why's that?"

"Cause you think deeply of me that I even got inside your dream" Marilyn glances at Cliff and grins, "You couldn't just let me go, could you?"

Needless to say, it's another flawless victory for Marilyn. Before Cliff got anything to say, the silver haired girl activates her accelerator and dashes off to the plantation.

"Your head is screwed up, Cliff" Alvin tells his companion as they resume their journey, "If you want to dream something about a girl, then you should have dreamt something nice. Not something disturbing"

"Something nice? Like what?" Cliff pretends not knowing what the green haired man was trying to imply.

"Something that would please yourself, bro" Alvin puts a deeper implication this time, "Something like…having fun"

"With a girl?'

"With a girl"

"Good, guess I'll try it next time" Cliff smiles and starts imagining things, "I guess…my dream of having fun would be…I'll be having a dream of gardening together with a beautiful maiden"

"Gardening?"

"Gardening"

"Is that all you can think to please yourself? Gardening?"

"Yes, why?"

"No wonder you're a 21 year old virgin" Alvin mocks the red haired man.

"I don't want to hear that from a 24 year old virgin" Cliff mocks back.

"Hey, I'm a 24 year old virgin because I'm committed to someone! Unlike you!" Alvin clearly took offense on the earlier statement.

"I'm committed to someone also" The trench coated man casts his eyes to the plantation and enjoys the scenery around him as the talk continues.

"Someone?" Sophia joins the conversation, "So, basically you got a girlfriend?"

"No"

"So, who is this someone?"

"Myself" Cliff stunts both Sophia and Alvin just with one word, "I'm committed to myself"

"You're…gay?" Sophia doesn't get the idea at all. And this results on her getting two stares from Alvin and Cliff.

"He isn't gay" Alvin explains to the dark haired girl, "Maybe he's…asexual"

"No, I'm not asexual either" Cliff disputes the 'accusation' rather quickly, "I'm not into romance for now, that's all"

Alvin and Sophia stop replying afterward, but only until Cliff is far enough from them so that he wouldn't be able to hear their dialogue.

"Sophia, can we come into conclusion that Cliff is narcissist?"

"Why's that?"

"Cause he is committed to himself"

"How do you know, Alvin?"

"He just said it!"

"He did? When?"

"Great, you forgot what he said just like that?"

"Huh? Do I forget anything?"

"Aw, heck! Forget it" Knowing Sophia forgets again, Alvin chooses to end the dialogue so his headache doesn't get much worse.

By the time they arrive at the plantation, Marilyn has been collecting almost half of the ordered berries. Her three friends take initiative to quickly assist her. In less than half an hour, their work is done. And with two baskets on each person, they are heading back to the village.

"Wow, can't wait till our pocket is full of our payment tomorrow" Marilyn expresses her thought to Cliff who walks near her, "Don't you agree with me, Cliff?"

"What if I don't?"

"Well, you can assure of one thing….another chop is waiting for you"

"Then…I agree with you"

"Is your agreement sincere?"

"It is" Cliff assures Marilyn, "I'm an honest man, remember?"

"No, you're a sleepy man" Marilyn throws another joke, "Can't you see that in your eyes?"

"No, I guess I'm too sleepy for it" Cliff replies dryly, "Either way, I'll miss this village once we're done here"

"Ow, come on. You can't get too emotionally attached like that" His companion produces a genuine comment, "We're drifters, we don't stay in certain places like that"

"What if we do?"

"Then we would be stayers"

"Is stayers even a word?"

"No, that's why there's no such thing as staying in one place too long for a drifter" Marilyn further tells the sleep red haired man, "Besides, we got something to do out there, right?"

His eyes cast lit of wonder in a second. He realized she was right; they have something to do out there in Filgaia. Not just something trivial, but something really important for both themselves and maybe others too.

"So, was I right?" Marilyn asks with confidence.

"You're right, just like always" The red haired man replies with an honest smile, but his smile vanish right when they heard a gunshot from the village.

The four drifters rush themselves to the village and find a dozen WU soldiers and an armored car walking out from the village the moment they arrive on the scene. A group of villagers are standing nearby the entrance of the Surf Village. Panic is written all over their faces.

The four drifters look at each other, guessing this won't be pleasant news for all of them. Approaching the village rapidly, the four see Misses Bricks is crying on her husband's shoulder. And besides the mayor, a dead body of one of the villagers lies motionless. The mayor looks at the drifters before looking at his villagers and tells them to take care of the body.

"Great, WU soldiers coming here is just what we need…" Marilyn escapes a sarcastic comment after she realized this is indeed an unpleasant news for them.

Leaving his three comrades behind, Cliff quickly approaches the mayor and sympathetically asks, "What happened, Mayor?"

The mayor calms his wife down before telling Cliff what happened…

_Earlier this morning when the four drifters were busy at the plantation…_

"Boss?" A young man, one of the villagers, called Mayor Bricks who was filling another customer's glass, "A group of soldiers want to see you. They are waiting outside"

"What soldiers, Jim?" The mayor asked his wife to replace him and drew near the customer named Jim.

"World Union soldiers" Jim clarified, "They said they want to meet whoever's in charge here"

"So, they came after all" Mayor Bricks accompanied by Jim behind him exited the inn and headed to the village's entrance where a group of soldiers and an armored cars waiting. The one who seemed to be a leader was a middle aged Caucasian man, short brown haired with dimple cheek. The villagers are surrounding them in amazement. This was the first time WU visited them after five long years.

"Welcome, gentlemen. I'm Bricks, the mayor of Surf village" Mayor Bricks introduced himself to the soldiers.

"Second Lieutenant Wade, I'm in charge of these guys" The commander of the soldiers also introduced himself, "I received an information yesterday you requested an assistance for this village?"

"Right"

"What's the exact deal of the request, mayor?"

"I happened to spot the deserters from the squad of Peacemaker Gomez Delphic who deserted around a month ago" Mayor Bricks got straight to the point.

"How much you knew about them?" Second Lieutenant Wade took a chance to glance around the village.

"Not much, once I spotted them I contacted World Union using the nearest post office. Apparently, I had to contact them for almost a week before you finally arrived"

"A week, huh? So, since no one really came here before us that makes us the first to notice your request, right?"

"Yes"

"Good" Second Lieutenant Wade took another glance, "By the way, Mayor…isn't Surf Village famous for its plantation of healing berries?"

"Yes, the crops are great this year" Mayor answered with a proud smile for his village, "We've got a handful of youngsters here helping us"

"Yes, I spot lots of healthy young men and fine you women in just two glances" Hade chuckled, "Well, today's' your lucky day, Mayor. I got a big surprise for you and your village"

"What kind of surprise?" The mayor politely replies.

"This kind" Wade pulled out a gun and aimed it to the mayor's head before his soldiers did the same by pointing their guns at the villagers, much to the shock of everyone witnessing. Even Misses Bricks and everyone who were watching from the inn couldn't conceal their gasps

"What does this mean, Lieutenant Wade?" Mayor actually had figured out who they might be, but he still felt the need to ask.

"Anybody moves, dies" Wade threatened the villagers before turning his attention back to the mayor, "You informed us well, Mayor. I really appreciate your concern and I thank you for telling us what we need to know"

"Good Lord…" Mayor couldn't believe this. They are the deserters, not the real WU soldiers, "What do you want from this village?"

"It's simple, mayor. I'm a man, my soldiers are men, we want what every man wants" Wade smiled indignantly, "Catch me?"

"Listen, take as much money as you want, as much berry as you want, but don't hurt any of the villagers" Mayor sounded really scared thinking about the possible outcomes for his village and its people. These kinds of guys are doing evil deeds with no regret.

"How considerate, but what about the other thing, mayor?" Wade reminded his prey, "What about the girls? You got some fine girls down here"

"I'm sorry, but you can't take any of them" The mayor bravely stood for the females on his village, "Take the money and the berries, but leave the villagers alone"

"Oh, really? Do you know what I do to things I can't have?" Wade pretended to ask before aiming his gun at Jim, who has been standing behind the mayor all the time, and shooting him right on his head, killing him at once as his body fell to the ground, "I destroy them"

"Oh, my god! Jim!" The mayor and some villagers quickly rushed to Jim's side but found him alive no longer.

"This is my first and final warning, mayor" Wade licked his gun before randomly aimed it to the villagers, "Me and my men will be back in six hours. When we're here, I want to see all the berries your village produced, the money and jewelries your villagers own, and the pussies you've been keeping all this time lying right here on this very point. Otherwise, that little shithead on the ground will have you and the males of this village accompanying him fucking dead whores in hell while we're busy with your pussies. And don't try something funny like escaping; you got a rocky giant boulder behind your village and I got every path surrounding this village blocked by the rest of my men. We spot one shithead running; we'll blow the shithead's head off"

And then, Wade ordered his men to retreat with an eerie smile on his face…

_Back to present time…_

"That's what happened" Mayor Bricks chokes ending his story, "I really don't know how to deal with this matter"

Cliff can't say anything to calm him down or simply give him a reply. Rubbing his hair absentmindedly, he casts his red gaze to Marilyn and the other two. Marilyn, realizing the hopeful gaze, lets out an exasperated sigh before acting like a leader she should be, "My condolences. It's unfortunate that had to happen, but worrying things will get you nowhere. So please calm yourself down, Mayor. Let's properly take care of the body before you and the others discussing what should be done next"

Marilyn speaks a good suggestion, and since no one seemingly gets a better suggestion, everyone do just that. After temporarily take care of Jim, the men gather at the café to discuss the matter while the kids, youngsters, and their wives stay in their house so they can alarm the men if the deserters return.

"We're all gonna die, aren't we? They will kill all of us whether we fulfill their demand or not" One of the villagers expresses his fear.

"One thing for sure, I'm not going to let them rape my daughter or my wife and use them like a meat!" Another man speaks up, "At least we need to find a way to let our daughters and wives escape from the village"

"Hey, stop talking crap! What about our boys? You want to leave them just like that? You think I'm going to let them kill both my sons like that man did to Jim?"

"I'm not talking crap, moron! I only want to protect my family!"

"And so am I! You're not the only who got wife and kids down here!"

"So, what's your suggestion?"

Silence befalls everybody on the café after the last question. That's right, despite yelling and constant yelling, no one knows what to do at all.

"Oh, man…things are going crazy" Alvin murmurs to himself seeing the Surf Village town folks literally screwing themselves with all their yelling and shouting, "Screw World Union…"

"Marilyn, what are we going to do?" Sophia, who's been looking confused all the time, tries to enlighten herself of her thoughts, "Can't we do something about this?"

"No, let's wait till they're done blabbing among themselves" Marilyn calmly responds while observing the nervous silence, "We shall do something only if necessary"

"Necessary? That means we're not going to help them?" Cliff is the first to response the answer.

"We're not…unless they want us to" His fettered friend boldly tells him, "This isn't our problem to begin with. If they want us to help, then they must have a proper way to show their gratefulness of us helping them. By the way, you don't speak as the representative of this village, do you?"

And she gets Cliff's attention just right, "You want to make a benefit from this situation? You wouldn't help them wholeheartedly for their sake?"

"Why would we? We've got nothing to do with this" His silver haired friend dryly tells him with no caring at all in her tone, "Except if they can put a decent amount of money on the wager, that is"

"So, you do want to make money out of their problem" Cliff doesn't hide his distaste at all, "Are you on your right mind?"

"Hell yeah, I'm always on my right mind" Marilyn doesn't sound concerned at all answering, "Think about it, guys. Not only will we get our deserved payment from working here all month long, we can also save ourselves a good amount of money to make it day by day"

"Hey, this isn't about money! I'm not going to oppose having payment doing a request, but people's lives are at the stake here!" Cliff locks his eyes to hers so she can have a better sight of what he sees, "This isn't the right time to earn more money! Don't you feel sorry for them?"

Calm and composed, Marilyn coldly replies, "Even if I do feel sorry for them, which I don't, nothing would change now wouldn't it? And besides…if you decide to help them and they find out what you and Sophia truly capable of, we would get kicked out of here with our pockets still empty…and after wasting our time for a month here, I'm sure none of us would like that choice"

"But still…" Cliff tries to talk back again, but Marilyn cuts him off.

"But still we need money for living cause we got dangerous places in Filgaia to venture. It's not like we can stop for a month in every town we spot, no? And need I remind you we got a bigger fish to catch out there on the battlefield?" The silver haired girl starts touching an important matter, "Don't give me bull by saying you haven't been thinking about it, Cliff. If we're going to help them, they better show us gella. And I mean lots of gella. If they want it free of charge, I can only provide last rites for each of their bodies. That I can provide for free"

Marilyn was right…again. Cliff lets out a defeated sigh before turning his attention to Alvin and Sophia, "So, what do you two have to say?"

"It's not like I disagree with you, bro. But Marilyn's right, we need money to live and we got a bigger fish to catch out there indeed" Alvin speaks his thought, "So, I'm with her this time. If we got the chance, we better seize it before it's too late"

"I…second that" Sophia agrees, although she looks afraid she would anger Cliff even more, "I'm sorry, Cliff. But we're out of money mainly because both of us. So…although I don't like the way this thing goes, I really don't have any other choice either"

"See?" Marilyn embraces another victory, "So, what you gonna do now?"

Basically, she tells him to f**k off. Unless, until the villagers settled down their debate. Cliff understands this and silences his mouth, saying nothing anymore. Marilyn gives an understanding nod to the red haired man as they refocus on the villagers.

"Wait, aren't those kids drifters?" While pointing to the group, one of the villagers just realized much like what Marilyn wishes, "They can help us, right?"

"Hey…that's right" One of the villagers points out to the four drifters, "The four of you…you're all drifters, right? You guys must have some kind of combat abilities, right? You can help us out from this mess!"

And then the other villagers follow,

"Yeah, right! You collected the healing berries seeds fighting monsters, right?"

"You can take the soldiers on too!"

"Yeah, please save us!"

"You're our only hope!"

"Do it, kids!"

"Save us!"

"You can do it, right?"

"Don't let them kill us!"

"You must save this village!"

Marilyn was right again. She knew the villagers would eventually realize their status as drifters and their capability in combat, as they have been helping them with the healing berries seeds for nearly all months long. And of course, just like another implication she gave to Cliff, this is her chance to make more money for the group's benefit.

However, Misses Bricks quickly disputes the villagers, "People, what's wrong with you? They are only four; those soldiers got dozens of them! Maybe even more! Are you trying to tell them to go kill themselves?"

"But, we've got no one else to count on! If we go out there and fight them they would shoot us dead!" Another villager argues.

"So, it's okay for these kids to get shot down? Have you had no shame?" Misses Bricks talks back and stunts the villagers, "Don't force them to help us out of our mess! It's up to them whether they want to take it or not!"

"Why wouldn't they take it? Aren't they part of this village too?"

"Yeah! They've been living here for almost a month; they are part of this village!"

"Don't you get it at all? Have you lost what little mind you have, people?" Misses Bricks doesn't even fear the number of the villagers shouting at her when she speaks what's inside her mind, "There are thirty of those soldiers! And maybe even more wherever they wait! How do you expect four to go toe to toe against dozens?"

The last reasoning shuts the villagers for some seconds. Marilyn, however, calmly steps in to the troubled villagers and catches all their attention. "Thanks for your concern, Misses Bricks. But believe me; they are nothing against me and my three companions" Marilyn gives a winning glance to her three friends waiting behind her. Although Cliff doesn't look happy with this, the fettered girl advances, "We're all for helping you. But of course…with the right prize, that is"

"You want…money?" Mayor quickly deciphers her true intention.

"Precisely, mayor" Marilyn visages a generous (really generous) smile, "It's only logical, isn't it? You're not hoping for a group of drifters going out there, put their lives on the stake for your sake, and not giving something in return, are you?"

"…my villagers' lives worth more than any gella" The mayor then asks her, "How much?"

"150,000 gella" The silver haired girl finally names the prize. It's big number of money I tell you. And she doesn't seem like wanting lower prize, "Deal or no deal?"

The mayor briefly looks at his villagers who give him their nods as the sign of agreeing the high prize. "Deal" The mayor tells the young girl, "But you have to guarantee our safety, and I mean every one of us"

"Consider it done" Marilyn shows a thumb up to her comrades despite Cliff still feeling unhappy.

The deal has been wagered, and now it's time for the work to be done, "I'll need your help for some preparation"

"What kind of preparation?"

"The preparation to wipe those losers out of this village while preventing as much damage as possible to this village" Marilyn voices her plan, "Your family and villagers worth more than your buildings, right?"

"…right"

"Good, then we need to empty the wine storage under the stairs" Marilyn starts telling the plan as everybody listens, "It's a really large storage, and we only got sixty or seventy villagers here. If we can empty the storage, all of you can hide in there safely from the upcoming battle. So, I will need your help to empty the storage from the wines. And I will also need you to turn off every light in this village and block the power supply for the time being. And from now on unless I say otherwise, don't go outside. We need to empty the street"

"I can understand the storage part, but what about the lights?" The mayor asks with a really deep concern.

"It's to make our part of the deal easier"

"And the street?"

"To keep all of you alive"

"…"

"Any other question?"

The mayor glances at his villagers to find no one seemingly got any other question.

"Good, let's empty the storage then" Marilyn also calls for her other three friends, "You guys too, we need a quick work here. Sophia, I need you to go to the giant boulders surrounding the back of the village to clear your path"

"Roger that!" The dark haired girl cheerfully answers before hurrying herself to her room on the second floor of the inn to kick some ass.

"Um, what did you tell her to do?" Misses Bricks, approaching from behind, asks the leader of the group.

"I asked her to wipe the soldiers observing us from the boulders" Marilyn quickly responses, "So, that no one will hinder her doing her job later tonight"

"How do you know there are soldiers above there?"

"Simple, mam" It's Alvin who answers, "They got the guts to come here, that means they knew the current condition of Surf Village. How did they figure that out? They must have been observing this place for quite some time. And we don't think there's a better place than the giant boulder on the back of the village for completing that purpose without anyone knowing by all means. This is also to prevent them from reporting to their friends about our activity here"

"You kids…you're not just usual drifters, are you?" The mayor joins the conversation with a disbelieve look on his eyes, "You confidently asked Sophia to take care of trained soldiers. You planned the whole plan in seconds. You're so calm regardless the current situation where we have five dozens soldiers waiting for us out there. Really, who…are you people?"

"We are The Four Garrison, mayor" Cliff tells the mayor by putting a deep voice on his answer, directly implying to the mayor that they aren't joking with that name or their answer.

"So, if you may excuse us we'll help the others empty the storage. And after Sophia done with the guys above we can start doing the lights" Marilyn and the other two excuse themselves before helping the villagers to do the deed, leaving the mayor and his wife in quietness.

"James, why are you silent? Do you know what The Four Garrison is?" Misses Bricks slowly asks her husband, seeing him in lost words.

"The Four Garrison…" The mayor stammers, "That name is a very well known name among the drifters and the war field"

"What do you mean?"

"I've heard that among those who oppose both World Union and The Society, for having an ongoing war without caring about Filgaia, there's a group of drifters made up of four. A small number they might be, but they are capable enough to be a constant threat to both sides on their journey travelling Filgaia. Words in the street said both World Union and The Society put prizes for their head"

"Those four kids? They're both World Union and The Society's enemies?" Now Misses Bricks knew why her husband was in lost words. A group of unbelievable drifters have been staying on their place for almost a month without them knowing it.

Meanwhile, Sophia is taking a good look on her targets from her room. There's a large boulder covering almost half of the back side of Surf Village, with the Berry Cave lies below the boulder. Respectively, on top of the boulder, six men wait to watch the village in case they do anything suspicious.

"The total of six men" Sophia mumbles after observing her targets with her scope, "This should be quick"

"Are you going to kill them all?" Michael, waiting with his brother Micah behind Sophia, escapes a deep question for kids.

"Kill? No, no. That's a harsh word" Sophia gently caresses Michael's hair to ensure him, "I'm going to retire them, that's all"

"What does retire mean?" Micah, the younger of the twin, innocently asks like a kid would do.

"That means, I'm going to render them paralyzed for a certain period of time by a small amount of force" Her purple stare casts itself to the targets, "Now, if you please…I need you to leave this room, okay?"

"Why?"

"I don't want you kids to see a violent act, nor will I let you" Sophia wholeheartedly replies. The kids look at each other before obediently do as they were told. After the kids leave the scene, Sophia exhales to calm herself down, "_I will only retire them, kids…but for eternity"_

There is one other reason why she asked the kids to leave. Because she cannot let them know she's an ARMs Wielder. That would ruin the whole plan on saving this place.

In a blink of an eye, Sophia draws out her weapon as an ARMs appear; model Stoner Rifle-25 Semi-Automatic Sniper Rifle, or Silvia as she names it. The ARMs is completed with a sound suppressor. Sophia picks up a bipod from her bag in the bed and puts it on her Silvia before placing it on the window frame so she can have better positioning on doing her job.

The six men on the boulder don't notice her at all; they are too busy chatting with each other without knowing all their heads are on queue. Calmly aiming to the first target, Marilyn takes a soundless shot thanks to the sound compressor. And in less than 2 seconds, the bullet hits the soldier's head and kills him. The other five surprised and quickly take guard but it's too damn late. Sophia retires another one after the second bulls eye to the head before taking down the third man.

The other three get down and quickly search their attacker from above, but they find nothing. No one is on the street, and no one is on the rooftop aiming at them either. So, where is their attacker? She's not invisible is she?

"Where the hell is the shooter?" One of the soldiers asks, "No one is on the street!"

This is why Marilyn ordered no one should wander outside. So that the soldier won't have any chance to take advantage of the disorderly walking villagers as their hostage or just a mere shooting target.

"Maybe the shooter isn't on the street" Another soldier answers, "We need to tell Second Lieutenant"

"Where's the radio?"

"Over there" The other soldiers point out to beside one of the dead soldiers' body. It would be a risky move considering they need to move from their current spot.

"Relax, we're safe enough to make a move by crawling" One of the soldiers slowly crawls toward the radio, but after a sudden bullet makes a hole on his head soundlessly, his two friends riot.

"What the hell? He got shot!"

"Where is the shooter? There is no one in the street or the rooftops!"

"Wait…maybe…the shooter isn't on the street or rooftop?"

"How is that possible, huh? You mean the shooter can just randomly shoot out of nowhere and hit us?"

She can, that's the use of Lock On technique. Lock On is a normal skill among ARMs Wielder, but in some cases there's a difference. And Sophia's case is one of it. It's the ability of Emission; she can control the bullet she shot after casting a Lock On. That's why although she shoots from somewhere far and fairly unseen place, she still hit the nail right.

To finish her part of the job, Marilyn shoots twice.

The soldiers cannot believe their eyes, because after debating mindlessly, the witness two bullets speeding at them. And clear enough, that's the last thing they ever saw.

"I'm done" Sophia withdraws her Silvia and packs her bag, preparing to go to the now safe boulder.

And then with hours to go before the deserters return, the villagers help the drifters for the preparation Marilyn mentioned before.

_Five hours later…_

The night is still young when a group of men riding an armored vehicle, ASLAV to be precise, are seen approaching the darkened village. Apparently, no contacts have been made from the watchers above the boulders. Taking a pre-emptive cause, Wade ordered a group of his men to enter the village to find out if there is something suspicious inside while he and the other wait not far from it.

"Hey, what happened with that village? It's all dark and no lights can be seen" The soldier who is observing from the top of ASLAV withdraws his head, entering back inside, "Did they run away?"

"No way, there's only one way for them to get out of that stinky village. They got a giant boulder behind them and our men have been surrounding them!" Another soldier answered, "If that is the case, then we should go inside and check it out. Isn't that why Second Lieutenant Wade sent us here in the first place?"

The group moves inside the village and gets a clearer sight, that the village is as dark as the night itself. No single light is being turned on, the street is empty, and no one makes any kind of sounds. The Surf Village has turned into a haunted village.

"Creepy…where is everybody?" The guy who observed the village earlier asks, but none of his friends knows the answer. But then, he spots a glimpse of a red figure around 15 meters from the ASLAV, "Hey, what's that? Is that a person?"

"Huh, where?" One soldier from inside the car observes the point his friend is pointing, "Hey…yeah! That looks like a person, alright. What's he doing there? Someone get there and ask him where the hell the villagers are!"

There are 9 soldiers inside the car; three are driving ASLAV so that leaves the rest 6 to do the job. Since he's the nearest to their only way out, the guy who's been observing from atop the car climbs down and slowly approaches the red figure.

"Hey, you! Where is everybody?" The soldier starts pointing the gun at the red visage, who turns out to be Cliff. The red haired man stares at the soldier with a cold eerie stare which gives the soldier a shiver, "Hey, don't shit with me! Where are the villagers, moron?"

Still not giving any answer, Cliff stretches his right arm to in front of the soldier and opens his hand so the soldier can see his palm. "Hey, are you toying with me you dumbass?" The soldier insults Cliff again, "Where the hell are those shitty villagers?"

"For someone who is about to die" Much to the soldier's surprise, a dark colored handgun like firearm suddenly appears out of nowhere on Cliff's hand following a glimpse of light, pointing right at his head, "You talked way too much"

A silence breaking sound echoes to the sky as the soldier flung away before violently hit the armored car, shocking his comrades inside it. But what surprises them the most is the fact that that guy is headless. Blood splattered all over the scene. Cliff just blew that guy's head away into pieces. Needless to say, the car erupts,

"Shoot! This is crazy! What did that guy do?"

"He just shot him!"

"Shot? What kind of a handgun would blow your head away!"

"Hey, hey! That guy is coming here! Someone move this damn thing and shoot him!"

One of the remaining soldiers noticed that Cliff is walking towards them. There is no fear on his eyes despite facing a giant steel armored car. A soldier quickly comes out to atop the car to use the M240C machine gun planted on the car. He aims toward Cliff and prepares to shoot him…only to see him nowhere in sight.

"Hey, where did that guy go?" The soldier asks his bewildered friends.

"I dunno! He vanished!"

"You fool! Didn't anyone watch him at all? How could he vanish into nothingness just like that?"

"Hey, don't blame us! Why didn't you put your damn eyes on him?"

Before the soldiers can continue their stupidly unnecessary arguments, another thrilling sound ricochets in the air. The next thing the rest of the soldiers know is the headless body of their friend who's been aiming the gun above limps slowly to inside the car, much to their horror.

"Shit! We're dealing with a monster!"

"Retreat! Retreat! Get the walkie talkie and tell Second Lieutenant!"

Unfortunately for them, among the riot they caused by their own, they heard a bump on the top of the car. Someone is there, above them.

"Hey, did you hear that sound?"

"Is he up there?" The soldiers preparing their guns in case something comes up. Although it's rather foolish, cause there's no way their frivolous machine guns would be able to directly go through the armored car, both inside or outside, let alone hitting Cliff like that.

"What are we going to do now?"

"Well, I definitely don't want to put my head out and get hit by whatever gun he uses"

"So, we're going to wait here just like that all night long?"

They don't need to. Cliff shoots from atop the car, pierces right through the steel armored car, and perfectly hits one soldier's head, blowing it off as its inside scatters everywhere on the car before any of the soldiers can do anything.

"Huwaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!" Bigger panic arises inside the ASLAV, and the red eyed man seizes the chance perfectly. Cliff kicks down the top manhole of the car and enters his arm while aiming mindlessly, knowing wherever he shoots he will still hit one of those idiots.

The trench coated man kills another one and forces the driver to start driving the armored car recklessly, hoping the guy shooting at them would somehow fall and they can escape. But Cliff is steadily gluing himself to the car from above. No sign of him deteriorates at all as he blows another head into pieces. The soldiers inside the ASLAV are too scared to do something. This is because they are all coward to begin with. They're afraid of battle, that's why they became deserters in the first place. And in anyone's logic, they would needlessly riot if they see a man blowing their heads off despite having an armored car to shelter them. And with four of them died, five more remains.

This is the basic tactic of fighting an armored vehicle: keep your enemies close, keep your gun closer. They may be big, they may be bad, but they're nothing if you're close. Their cannon would be useless, their rifles would be useless, and the people inside them are just the same as a sitting duck….if you have a weapon that could easily penetrate steeled armor, that is.

Cliff blows the fifth head tonight before slowly makes his way inside and let the remaining four soldiers get a good look on their assaulter. "Shoot him!" Two soldiers take aim and unload their bullets on him, hitting him countless times in the process.

"Take this! Take this!" They shoot Cliff mindlessly without even caring whether the bullets really affect him or not. Smokes, ricocheting sounds, and ejected bullets fly all over the inside of the car. The two soldiers shoot until they ran out of ammo…and run out of any sane idea. Because after receiving hundred of bullets directly in a very close range, their single adversary is still standing.

Blood oozing on several points of his body, indicating he's wounded and injured after all. But that's all about it. He didn't die, he didn't even fall down. He's still standing like nothing just happened. His face hints no single pain at all. His stare is as cold as ever, leaving both soldiers and the two drivers behind them motionless. Their hearts beat quickly and violently, so that they palpitate against their ribs. Their superficial muscles shiver, their breathing is hurried, and their mouth becomes dry. What they see right now is no man.

Cliff aims his gun to one of the soldiers head before blowing it off, and shoots another one before he even got the chance to enlighten his curiosity, leaving the two defenseless drivers all alone in their fear.

"What…are you?" One of them gasps as Cliff silently walks to them, ignoring their feelings completely, "Are you one of The Ars Goetia? There's no way you're human! What are you?"

Cliff coldly replies with a bullet to the other driver's head before aiming his gun to the asking driver. "_Hm? I run out of ammo?_"Cliff reacts after pulling the trigger and nothing comes out, "_Oh, I forgot. It's eight bullets already_"

The red haired man withdraws his ARMs before casting his sight on the remaining driver.

"An ARMs wielder…you're a demon…so, you're not human after all…" The driver says in fear seeing the ARMs wielder. Cliff chokes his neck and slowly lifts him to the air so he can have a better look on the driver.

"How many of your guys are left?" The red eyed man strengthens the grip on the driver's neck, "Answer me"

"It's…fifty…left!" The driver got a hard time answering with all the choke and grip, "I'm…telling you…the truth!"

"One other thing, do you have any other armored fighting vehicle?"

"It's two…tanks! That's…all I know, I…swear!"

"Who asked you to swear?" Cliff tosses the driver away to the back of the car before grabbing his collar and violently slamming him to the wall, breaking his back. The hard steeled wall proves too hard for the driver's back to handle. And the driver's cries prove that. The merciless red haired man finishes him off by giving a straight punch to the driver's face, maiming his face.

After Cliff drops the driver, he notices a walkie talkie, lying on the floor covered by blood, is still on.

"Hey! Someone answer me! What's happening in there?" Wade's voice can be heard from the talkie. One of the soldiers must have turned it on but never got the proper chance to use it without his head (no pun intended). The only reply Wade got is a cracking sound after Cliff stomps the talkie.

The ARMs wielder climbs out of the ASLAV while Alvin and Marilyn showing up to the scene. "Wonderful" Marilyn genuinely praises Cliff's work, "Merciless just like always. As expected from Cliff Margester"

"Big deal, there is two more to go. And they got fifty more men" Giving a short answer to the girl, Cliff reloads his empty ARMs. Model MGC-M93R-AP, more widely known as Auto-9, nine millimeter Semi Automatic Anti Tank Rifle. Its official name is D-39 SAATR; however Cliff prefers to refer his ARMs as Dreadnaught, a legendary spear which is said to be able to penetrate anything it pierces. Dreadnaught is light just like it is extraordinarily powerful. Designed specially to penetrate many layers of armored vehicles, the explanation on why it blows steels and heads present itself.

"Two more? They got two tanks more?" Alvin asks.

"Yep, waiting like two sitting ducks out there" The red eyed man points out to the outer area of the village, "That Wade guy will probably send his foot soldiers here caused the ruckus inside ASLAV was heard by him. I'll keep the tanks away from this village. So, the stupid soldiers are all yours"

"Great demo of intelligence" Displaying a little smile of satisfaction, Marilyn pats Cliff's back, "You're eager to do this after all, huh? I did think you're still on dismay about what happened this afternoon"

"No, I don't dislike your doing or your saying because they are true. No one can argue with that" Cliff returns the smile, "It's just I never get used to our different way of thinking and approaching things no matter how I try"

"The beauty of life" The silver haired girl unsheathes her Iskander Bey, still with her smile, "Come back in one piece, 'kay?"

"Against a couple of small fries? I'm hurt" Cliff jokes before sets sail to the outer area of Surf Village, "Alvin, keep your eye on her, got me? Make sure she doesn't hurt you or herself"

"Well, actually she wouldn't hurt me or herself cause she's eager to only hurt you. But, leave that request to me" Alvin grins while putting a pair of fingerless black gloves, preparing himself to meet and greet the soldiers, "So, we go hide to surprise the soldiers now?"

"Just as planned, Alvin. Sophia is ready on her position too. She will signal us by shooting Silvia once to the air. It's not going to be a difficult job defeating a bunch of cowards in darkness" With the preparation completed, the two goes hiding inside the darkness of the village.

Their prediction turns out to be true. Wade stays in his tank and orders another tank to accompany him in the outer area while the entire foot soldiers go inside the village to deal with the assaulters. As their legs reach the entrance of the village, the soldiers find the motionless ASLAV. The armored car stinks of blood, proving the earlier report of the attack was true after all.

The soldiers proceed with care. Whoever it is waiting for them inside the dark must be very potent combatants. They lost their troops guarding the boulder and now they lost after sending an armored car. The fifty soldiers split into group of several soldiers and spread throughout the silent village quietly. No sounds, no lights, no noises…to them, Surf Village is no different from a graveyard. The moon, calmly observing them from its throne in the space, is the only source of light for the soldiers. But the soldiers are soon blinded in even darker surrounding when the clouds move and cover the moonlight, stopping it to shine the village with its light.

And then, a silence breaking sound echoes as a gunshot is heard out of nowhere. Next thing the soldiers know, all the lights in the village suddenly turn on. It flashes perfectly blinded them temporarily

"My eyes!"

"What was that gunshot?"

"This is a trap!"

And the last guy's right, this is a perfect trap. No matter how strong a group is, when they split and lower their number they are more vulnerable for an ambush. Turning the lights off was one thing, turning it back on in the right time is another thing. The soldiers have been split and blinded; they're a group of sitting turkeys now.

Pops out from behind one of the alleys inside the village, Alvin hammers a soldier right to his face with a long fist and retires him. There are six other soldiers on his eyesight, all blinded. The green haired man moves closer to one of them before giving his blind target a roundhouse kick to his stomach and a finishing kick to the face. Alvin leaps backward and maims another soldier with a perfectly executed Butterfly Kick, leaving four soldiers left. Alvin then steps in to a soldier's reach and give him a double hook, leaving three. The martial arts expert soon realizes the other three are starting to regain their eyesight, and this wouldn't be good for him. Quickly moving into one side, Alvin accumulates the power on his right leg to swipe all three in one single strike. As the soldiers are about to regain their composure, Alvin bents his right leg and spins, unleashing a powerful Crescent Kick to one of the soldiers' head and sending him flying to his other two friends, knocking all three of them off in one blow.

Marilyn, appearing from above one of the blinded soldiers near the entrance with her sword ready, strikes his head with an Oberhau, a stroke delivered from above the attacker, and kills the soldier right away. With her accelerator already activated, the braided girl closes her distance with a group of dozen blind soldiers, attempting to take them out before they regain their eyesight. Striking from below her target, the swordswoman performs an Unterhau to his neck and quickly retire one other soldier on her back by stabbing him right in the eye before the second soldier even touch the ground. Closing her distance with the remaining ten, Marilyn slashes another soldier on his neck and then proceeds to calmly slash another one behind in the stomach. Their blood blossoming in the air the moment Marilyn invisibly moves and deals three soldiers at once with her Guillotine. Three heads falling to the dirty ground indicates there's five more to go. Marilyn jumps backward and strikes another one with Unterhau again, leaving four more to go. The swordswoman stabs her ninth victim in the stomach and quickly steps toward the remaining three. Good for them, they finally regain their eyesight. But bad for them, Marilyn was quick enough to execute the second Guillotine before the three soldiers even realized what happened. As their body falls down one by one, Marilyn takes her time to cleanse her sword while admiring her well done job. A glimpse of satisfaction rues her eyes.

Alvin dealt seven and Marilyn owned thirteen, so that means thirty more to go. But now, the soldiers have regained their eyesight completely. The original plan is to reduce their number as much as possible. Fifty isn't a small number to deal to begin with. With thirty more to go, their job should be easier. The only concern of this plan is the villagers; that's why Marilyn told them to hide in the basement so there won't be any unnecessary casualties. And then, the two resume their battle.

Alvin rushes to a group of soldiers spotting him with his guard ready. They shoot him using the rifles they got on their hands to stop him but the green eyed man jumps and successfully avoids all the bullets. Advancing into a spin in the air, Alvin executes an insanely powerful Butterfly Kick right to the ground and breaks it, rendering all the soldiers shocked and immobile in one single strike. The Jackhammer, that's how he called the move. The dusky skinned man seizes this opportunity to gives one soldier a taste of his uppercut continued by a straight to his stomach before he falls down. One soldier regains his balance and fires at Alvin; however, the leather jacketed man quickly gets down before giving the soldier a low reverse roundhouse kick. Successfully dispatching the man of the only support for his balance, Alvin carries on with a middle reverse roundhouse kick and then finishes him by a high reverse roundhouse kick, sending him crashing to three men behind him and knocking all of them out. Another soldier attempts to shoot him from behind, fortunately Alvin was quick enough to notice and kicks the gun to the air, leaving the soldier weaponless before connecting a Jump Spin Hook Kick to his face. The rampant fighter welcomes another horde of soldiers from his front by performing a Flying Back Kick before the soldiers got any chance to shoot and successfully knocking one of them down. Alvin quickly disarms another one with an elbow attack to the ground and spinning afterwards, positioning himself so his right arm got enough space to execute a superman punch. Bringing his rear leg forward to feign a kick, Alvin then snaps the leg back while throwing a cross spinning punch directly to the soldier's face, resulting on him flying backwards and taking his two other friends with him. A usual superman much doesn't require a spin on the arm, but Alvin does so because it enhances the power he conduits with the punch. He calls this one Screwdriver. Well, at least that technique lived up to the name by screwing the soldiers. Anhur, that's how Alvin is recognized back there in his hometown in Baskar colony. The name derived from a war deity known as Slayer of The Enemies. Living up to his nickname, he slays anyone standing on his path.

Marilyn enters the stage by calmly slashing one soldier in the face in a surprise attack from his side, and quickly spots three other soldiers with him. Sneaking rapidly from below, the silver haired swordswoman slashes a soldier's hand to disarm him and proceeds to quickly slice his neck. Her accelerator proved superior even to the reactions of the trained soldiers once again when she stabs the remaining two consecutively in less than six seconds, so far she is unscathed. Four other soldiers arrived and fires to her at once, but their bullets hit only her trail of after image. Their lining position is useless when they face an enemy with a formidable speed, they should have known that. But being a group of cowards fleeing from a battle the deserters can't think that far, really. Her dark gaze watches in calmness as she stabs another man in the stomach before proceeding to slash another one behind him. She finishes the remaining two by a quick attack using the same combination of stab and slash. With only ten soldiers remain; she decides to end them by herself so no more time would be wasted. And it's not hard to find them, because they are running toward her who's been causing ruckus in the place she battled just now. They stop the moment they see what's left behind the swordswoman, gallons of blood covering the streets, dead bodies lying everywhere leaving one maiden standing alone. Her piercing stare, her eerie yet somewhat satisfied smile, and her sword is dripping blood little by little, the best proof of what she just did to the other soldiers. The scene, the massacre, belittles the courage they had in them in just a mere second. Their bigger number, their firearms, suddenly means nothing at all. In just a glance, Marilyn knows they fear her. Her smile just got eerier as she prepares another stance. And when she steps into her opponents advances in a blink of an eye, with her right foot forward and her left feet sliding while never lifting off the ground her sword dances nimbly, driven by the movement of the whole body, she shows them death.

Spider lily, a beautiful flower said to grow in hell guiding the dead into the next reincarnation. When their flowers bloom, their leaves would have fallen; when their leaves grow, the flowers would have wilted. This habit gave rise to various legends. Some other legends have it that when you see someone that you may never meet again, these flowers, also called red spider lilies, would bloom along the path. Spider Lily, flower of the afterlife. Spider Lily, that's how Marilyn Westerfield is recognized.

_Be slowly lifted up, thou long black arm,  
Great Gun towering towards Heaven, about to curse;  
Sway steep against them, and for years rehearse  
Huge imprecations like a blasting charm._

_Reach at that Arrogance which needs thy harm,  
And beat it down before its sins grow worse.  
Spend our resentment, cannon - yea, disburse  
Our gold in shapes of flame, our breaths in storm._

The Crimson, a fearsome telltale hour on the battlefield where World Union and The Society, or Filgaia to that matters, putting their lives on the stake for something called belief. Among the rage of wars, among the blood they spilt, a mtyh, an urban legend, arose and pieced the heart of everyone stepping into the field of war. A legend about a red visage, covered by blood, leaving trails of red on the path he battled his enemies. He walks into the war with taking no sides fighting for what he believes, his mere presence will intimidate his adversaries standing, his merciless stare will belittle their courage, and then, his fearless weapon will turn them into pieces. And then, he will leave the trail he battled with his enemies blood. A red merciless figure, The Crimson.

"Damn! What the hell are those morons doing inside the village? Why aren't they reporting anything at all?" Wade bemoans the fact that none of his deserters give a report about the current condition inside the village. Well, if only he knows what have become of his deserters he would be busy deserting from here (no pun intended).

Wade and the remaining cowards he has with him are armed with two armored vehicles. Wade and 3 other deserters are riding a super-heavy tank called Obyekt 279. The special-purpose tank was intended to fight on cross-country terrain that was inaccessible to conventional tanks and act as a vehicle to break through enemy defensive positions. This tank was a unique version boasting increased cross-country capability. The tank featured four-track running gear mounted on two longitudinal rectangular hollow beams, used as fuel tanks. The tank hull (with 269 mm armor) was covered by a thin, elliptical shield protecting it against HEAT shaped-charge ammunition and preventing it from overturning due to the shock wave of a nuclear explosion. It comprised large cast irregular shape structures of variable thickness and slope. The all-cast front part of the hull was rounded in shape with thin armor panels against HEAT projectiles, which ran around the edges of the front and sides of the hull. The sides of the hull were also cast and had similar protective armor panels. The all-cast turret (front armour thickness 305 mm) was rounded, with anti-HEAT protective panels mounted at a seventy degree angle. The turret ring was also heavily protected. The tank was fitted with a 130 mm rifled M-65 and a co-axial 14.5 mm KPVT heavy machine gun, stabilized in two planes by a "Groza" stabilizer. The gun was provided with a semi-automatic loading system. Firing control system comprised optical/radar rangefinder, auto-guidance system and L2 night-sight with IR searchlight. The tank suspension was hydro-pneumatic with complex hydro transformer and three-speed planetary gearbox. The track adjuster was worm-type.

The other five soldiers are riding M103 heavy tank. The turret of the M103 was larger than that of the M48 or the M60 to make room for the huge 120 mm gun and the two loaders assigned to it, in addition to the gunner and the commander. The driver sat in the hull. The gun was capable of elevation from +15 to -8 degrees. Tracks, rollers and suspension elements were the same, with some modification to take into account the greater weight. The engine and transmission were never modified enough to give the extra power needed for the greater weight of the M103, and as a result, the tank was relatively underpowered and the drive systems were fragile.

As a group of deserters, they got some badass tanks with them over here. No wonder they can roam around freely, never having a potent threat for them with such huge devices. But that candle wouldn't hold out long.

"Hey, who's that?" One of the soldiers inside M103 notices Cliff slowly walking towards them.

"Is that one of the villagers?"

"No way! Look at him; he's covered in…blood?"

"Silence! All of you!" Wade shuts the deserters up with one order. His eyes are full of fear and thoughts, "That red figure…could it be…?"

"Is something wrong, sir?"

Suddenly, something crosses Wade's mind and demands him to react quickly if he wants to stay alive, "M103! Shoot that guy before he reaches us! Now!"

"Yes, sir!" M103 aims their M58 cannon right to the direction of Cliff and fires it without asking any other question.

Regardless, the speeding giant bullet ignites no fear for the red eyed man. Cliff quickly draws his Dreadnaught and shoots the bullet in mid-air, blowing it up and shocking his opponents.

"What the hell? He destroyed the cannon's bullet?"

"Are you joking me?"

"It can't be…" Wade mutters in disbelieve, catching the attention of his underlings.

"Do you know him, sir?" However, he gets no answer because the tide turns to their side very quickly. Closing the distance between him and M103, Cliff shoots the driver through the armored layer and blows his head off, and just like before, scaring the other four crews inside M103.

"Shoot him using your machine gun!" Wade shouts to take control of the situation. The crews inside M103 quickly do as they were told before Cliff really approach them. They aim the machine gun placed on their tank and fires at will, successfully hit Cliff. But much like their predecessor, it's no use at all. The bullets did hit him and slow his movement, but he still walks quietly amidst the firing. The determination on his eyes isn't to be taken lightly. The crew who is firing starts to watch in horror when Cliff aims Dreadnaught at him. The scene lets Wade and other deserters speechless in both fear and confusion. This guy's no normal human. After another piercing sound from Dreadnaught, the crew doesn't see anything anymore.

"How on earth…is he a demon? The machine gun didn't he affect him at all!"

"Didn't you see the weapon on his hand? It's an ARMs! He's an ARMs wielder; of course he's a demon!"

"What do we do now?"

"Run him over! Run him over!" In panic, Wade orders his underlings in M103 to run Cliff over. Cannon can't stop him, bullets can't stop him, their only bet is using their tank itself. The crews in M103 take full speed and charges toward Cliff. The red haired man shoots the driver in another single shot but the other driver remains, giving him the chance to finally hit Cliff using the tank's body. However, much to their dismay, Cliff manages not to get stuck within the wheels and grabs the hull front of the tank right in front of the driver. The driver begins to panic when Cliff slowly, out of his current situation, aims his merciless Dreadnaught to his face. Another piercing sound and blowing head is more than enough to driver Wade crazy, "That's it! Shoot M103 with our cannon!"

"But, sir!" The crews cannot believe what they just said, "There's still our friends inside M103!"

"Do you want that guy to come here and blow your damn head off like he did to them or not?" Wade grabs the crew's collar and yells on his face, "If you want your head intact, than fire the cannon!"

Not wanting to get their heads blown off, the crews quickly take position and aim the M-65 rifled cannon to M103.

"Hey, hey! What are you doing? What are you doing? We're still here!" The last two remaining crews inside M103 cannot contain their fear of death, but it's an unlikely situation for them both inside and outside. Inside, they'll get blown off to pieces by Obyekt. Outside, they will get blown off by Cliff. But their time runs out when Obyekt fires it cannon and explodes M103 into pieces, leaving nothing but a pillar of fire and its smokes covering the already darkened sky. The metal pieces of M103 are scattered everywhere.

"We did it…we did it…" The crews lets out an exasperate sigh, and so does Wade.

"Did it kill him, sir?"

"If that didn't, I don't know what would" Wade places both his hands to cover his face. That was really a shocking experience back there.

"You seemed to recognize the red haired man, sir?" Now, the crew feels it's about damn time Wade explains.

"It's a telltale hour on the battlefield I heard around four years ago at World Union" Wade tells him what he knew, "A red eyed, red haired man, purposely covering himself in his enemies blood leaving nothing but single trail of red blood on the path he battled. He is known as The Crimson"

"Was that guy The Crimson?"

"Perhaps, I don't know for sure. The Crimson is said to be unstoppable. But seeing him blown away by the explosion, I guess he isn't The Crimson" Wade shouldn't have celebrate too early, because just seconds after he said that, one of his crews informs him something he wouldn't like.

"Sir…I hope my eyes are deceiving me, but I think…" The crew stammers in disbelieve, "That red haired man…he is…heading towards us…"

"What?" Wade and the other crews hurried themselves to watch the really unpleasant news for themselves.

From inside the pillar of fire, a grim visage can be seen slowly walking out. Their jaws slowly dropped seeing Cliff walks out from the fire pillar, alive but not well. He is seen bleeding on the head and there are several burns on his body, but that's it. He doesn't show any expression of being hurt, nor he does flinching at all. His clothes are still intact, implying maybe his clothes are all fire proof. But that's not what concerns them the most right now.

"Could it be…" Wade murmurs in despair. All his attempts to stop Cliff are futile, "He is really The Crimson?"

Cliff pats his trench coat to check the item he brought with him inside it is still there, and it still is, "Good"

"Sir, shouldn't we run away?" The crews begin to panic (again), "He will kill us all!"

"No, wait…" Wade thinks properly at the moment, "Since it was him who came here in the first place, there's no guarantee he won't chase us if we run away, we can't move fast using Obyekt. But, our Obyekt is covered with a hard layered armor, no? Maybe, his gun wouldn't be able to penetrate through our armor. And look at him, he's bleeding and injured. So, that means we can inflict damage upon him. As long as we can manage to keep the distance between our drivers and him, maybe we still got a chance"

"Right…what's your order, sir?"

"Turn Obyekt around so it is our wheel facing him, not us. And turn the turret ring of our cannon so we can shoot him without facing him directly. Now, move! Move!" Wade orders his crews as the battle for their lives begin, "I'll personally slow him down using our mahcine gun!"

"But, sir! He might blow your head off!"

"Not if I keep it down enough!" Wade goes to control the machine gun placed on Obyekt and then the super-heavy tank moves. The crew aims the cannon at Cliff and fires. The red eyed man easily dodges the bullet, letting it hits and explodes the remains of M103, and fires back, but his Dreadnaught proves unable to penetrate the hard layered armor of Obyekt.

"It works! His ARMs cannot penetrate our tank!" The crews give an early celebration. Wade's guess is partly true. The second lieutenant shoots Cliff using the machine gun, trying to slow him as much as possible. Cliff welcomes the bullets as it doesn't have any kind of effect on him or whatsoever, instead, he takes this chance to shoot Wade. However, he missed his target because Wade keeps his head down like he stated earlier.

"It works! Second Lieutenant's plan really works!" The crews are grateful for the upper hand they gained. The crew proceeds to shoot their cannon again, but Cliff evades is for the second time. However, this is all a trap. Wade seizes his chance to shoot Cliff on his head, particularly his eyes, and temporarily disturbs his vision. This gave the crews an opportunity to quickly reload the cannon and fires at once, hitting Cliff perfectly and blasting him off the battlefield. The red eyed man flung away for at least fifty feet before landing on the hard ground, harshly.

"We did it! We really did it!" The crews go bananas seeing their opponent blasted away from their sight. Wade is in the middle, because he's still afraid if Cliff rises again. He keeps his eyes open when his crews are busy celebrating their lives, but after some moment, Cliff doesn't show up again, so he concludes that Cliff's dead.

"It's over…we won" Wade sighs in gratefulness for real this time.

"It's all thanks to your plan, sir"

"Yeah, now we can head on to the vill…oh, damn it…" Wade's eyes widened in disbelieve, telling his crews without even using any words that maybe this battle is far from over, "I cannot believe this! He's still alive?"

"What?" all his crews get their attention back outside and see it for themselves; Cliff is walking towards them! His body is injured and covered in blood more than before, but he is still walking nonetheless. He isn't limping at all, nor did he lose any limbs. This guy is a monster.

"This cannot be happening!"

"That guy is a real demon!"

"Reload! Reload! Shoot him with the cannon again before he reaches us! Now!" Wade takes the call out of desperation. His crews quickly do as they were told, but no one noticing Cliff has been aiming his Dreadnaught right to their cannon's barrel. The monster among men quietly casts The Lock On into both his eyes and ARMs, attempting to finish Obyekt once and for all.

Right after the crew reloaded the cannon, Cliff fires a single shot right at the cannon's hole. Before any of the crews or Wade himself got the chance to prevent what's about to happen, the 9mm bullet of Dreadnaught penetrates the Armour-Piercing Discarding Sabot roundof Obyekt 279. The next thing happens in the outer area of Surf Village in the cold night of Filgaia is a really big explosion; waking up all the wild animals around the area and shocking even the villagers who have been hiding inside the basement. For a moment, the black night sky was outshined by the flare of the explosion. The rising smoke from the fire burial of Obyekt 279 and its crew tells Cliff's three companions inside Surf Village, especially Marilyn, the winner of their battle tonight.

"_Well done, Cliff_" Marilyn secretly praises her sleepy friend.

After the fires and smoke ease up, Cliff quietly observes the remains of the super-heavy tank. Obyekt armor was layered and hard to be penetrated, but with an explosion from the inside, 350mm armor was a piece of cake. Well, if you cannot destroy them from the outside, why don't you try from inside, right?

The red eyed man finds pieces of dead bodies of what must be the three crews, but he didn't find Wade anywhere.

"Ukh! Huaaaaaaaah!" Cliff heard a scream from his behind, and finds Wade, now losing both his legs and having burns all over his body, screaming in pain. Wade must have realized what Cliff was about to do and cowardly tried to run without telling his crews, maybe trying to live up his status as a deserter. Too bad the explosion got him fairly, "Shit! This cannot be happening! Aaaaaaaaaah!"

"Well, well…" Cliff twirls his Dreadnaught as he slowly approaches the leader of the deserter, "You were too afraid to lose your life on the battlefield so you ran away. And now, you can't run anymore. How cruel, destiny has been toying with you, huh?"

"You bastard! You're a demon!" Wade curses the trench coated man, "You are The Crimson, right? You're that famous Crimson, right?"

"Oh? You knew my nickname? Cool…I'm popular, huh?"

"Don't shit with me, demon! Aren't you a drifter? What have you been doing in a cesspool village like this?"

"I'm one of the mayor's employees" Cliff honestly replies, "And I happen to know a bit about Jim…you know, the so called shithead you killed today. He was a good diligent man working on the berries plantation. His fiancée will give birth to a baby boy in a month. Thanks to you, the boy will never see his father for the rest of his life. So, what do you say? Shall I add some counterweight?"

"What the heck are you talking about?"

"You know what I'm talking about" Smiling, Cliff points his Dreadnaught to Wade's head, "Right, loser?"

"Go ahead! Go ahead, demon! Shoot me like an ARMs wielder will do! Just like your kind did in Ipswich Square!" Wade curses again, perhaps for one last time, "Your kind only know how to bring pain and suffering to Filgaia! It was because people like you war will never stop! It was because ARMs wielders like you people are afraid of living! Shoot me! Come on, shoot me! Shoot me like a demon would do!"

It's true; Filgaia has never been a friendly place for ARMs wielders in a long ass time. Cliff, and Sophia of course, is no exception. Because the power he got, he's been cursed, loathed, hated by the people of Filgaia, even when he was trying to do the right thing. But years of experience as a fighter and three years experience of being a drifter has steeled his heart, at least in what appears on the surface; because his heart never truly accepts the undeserved hate, no matter what.

"Empty barrel always makes the most noise" Cliff ignores what Wade said and finalizes as he pulls the trigger, "You're history"

KHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIING!

The piercing sound of Dreadnaught concludes the battle for tonight. Death, once again, embraced the adversary of The Crimson.

It is a telltale hour passed down between the whispers of wind on the battlefield.

They heard the man is clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.

And his stature; cloaked in red blood he walks through the earth and tremble the land with his gaze. Those who defy him feel his wrath, clawed by his anger, and finally destroyed by his fearless spear. By him, The Crimson.

_Yet, for men's sakes whom thy vast malison  
Must wither innocent of enmity,  
Be not withdrawn, dark arm, they spoilure done,  
Safe to the bosom of our prosperity._

_But when thy spell be cast complete and whole,  
May God curse thee, and cut thee from our soul._

Cliff quietly returns to the Surf Village, where his companions and the villagers have been waiting for him. "Hey, it's him!" Sophia tells everyone present, "Cliff's back!"

"Good job, bro!" Alvin gives him a high five, "But, you're screwed"

"Not as bad as it looks, honest" Cliff welcomes the embrace from both Michael and Micah, "Glad you're okay, kids"

"Wow, you really fought three tanks? How did you do that?" Kids, cannot hide what they feel and never can.

"A secret" The red eyed man smiles, "No need for you to know"

"Come on! Tell us!"

"Ask your father"

"How would he know?"

"That's why you should ask your father, to find out whether he knows or not"

"Ow, Cliff!"

Marilyn watches the red haired man (and the kids) in silence. Why does he like kids that much? Wanting to have two or three, maybe?

"Marilyn" Misses Bricks calls her from her behind, "You and your friends really saved the village. You kids are amazing, thank you"

"Don't mention it, mam" The swordswoman displays a casual smile, "We only did our part of the deal"

"Oh, right…the deal…" Misses Bricks cannot understand why Marilyn said that. Is money that important for her? Not that she dislikes the deal, but much like Cliff, Misses Bricks doesn't get why Marilyn implies this is all about money, not about genuine help or something else like that.

"Then, I guess tomorrow is where we do the part of our deal" Mayor chimes in, "Nonetheless, thank you. All four of you"

But Marilyn doesn't have a chance to respond, because suddenly one deserter pops out from the rooftop near the point where the villagers gathered with a rifle on his hand, "Die! All of you!"

That's right; the group only defeated 59 deserters. There were 60 of them, so this one must have been hiding somewhere this whole time. The deserter aims his gun right to the villagers below and prepares to pull the trigger. Neither Marilyn or Alvin, or any of the villagers to that matter, was quick enough to react because he is too far away from them.

However, the next thing everyone hears isn't a sound of the rifle firing, but a silence breaking voice from the ground. A merciless bullet pierces the deserter right on his stomach and blows his torso away, splattering his blood all over the street.

Dreadnaught's barrel is still smoking. Cliff quickly reacted and took the deserter down. And by doing so, costing himself and probably his friends effort on helping Surf Village, at least on the eyes of the villagers. His eyes are filled with worry over what's going to happen, because he can guess what's going to befall him…loathing and cursing. This is the irony of Filgaia. If you're an ARMs wielder, no matter what you do, you're wrong, you're a demon, and you must be condemned.

All eyes on Cliff, watching at him in disbelieve. Their helper, all this time, has been nothing but a killer demon…an ARMs wielder. And then, the villagers erupt,

"He's…he's a demon!"

"Oh, my god! Cliff is a demon!"

"He's been hiding inside our village the whole month!'

"Go away, demon! Go away!"

"His three friends too! Go away!"

"Get out of here!'

"Get out of this village!"

"What are you planning to do?"

"Are you going to kill us all after killing the deserters?"

"Get the hell out of here!"

"People, people! Calm down! He helped us, remember?" Mayor, acting like a civilized person should be, tries to calm the situation down. But, it doesn't work too well.

"Why are you on his side, mayor? He's a demon!"

"He's not! He could have killed us from month ago if he wanted to and if he's really a demon!" Misses Bricks joins in, "He helped us! Calm down, people!"

"Why are you two on his side? Are you on your right mind?"

"They have to get their asses out of here!"

Seeing how things are going uncontrollably, Cliff decides to withdraw ARMs and prepares to walk away; knowing nothing good will comes out if he stays here. But a sudden interruption stops him.

"Silence! All of you, silence!" Marilyn angrily yells, loud enough to shut everyone's up, and unsheathes her Iskander Bey, "One more word about him being a demon, I'll make sure that's the last thing all of you will ever say!"

"I will make sure of what she said too" Alvin looks at Sophia, hinting for her not trying to do anything reckless or the situation will be hotter than it already is, as he joins Marilyn, "One more insult to a man who just saved all your lives and battled your enemies, I'll give you a taste of your own medicine"

"Marilyn, Al…you don't have to go that far" Cliff, despite being in pain, tries to calm his two drifter friends.

"Don't tell me what to do, Cliff! It's their fault not yours!" Marilyn shouts back and silences the trench coated man, "This is why I hate helping without rewards, cause I know when things like this comes up people will go insane!"

"Marilyn, please…don't provoke them any further…" Now, Mayor attempts to persuade the swordswoman, "Lower your sword…there's no need for more blood tonight…"

Before things get worse, Cliff voices, "It's OK, everyone…really. It's alright…I'll go, like you wish"

"Cliff, what are you doing? Wait!" Marilyn grabs his hand and stops him from walking away, "Why are you doing this? You're just going to walk away just like that? When you didn't even do anything to defend yourself?"

"I defended more than enough tonight…" Cliff gently grabs Marilyn's hand and slowly takes if off from his, "I entrust you to take our cut. If they don't want me here, fine…I'll just go away. I don't want to see you; Alvin, Sophia, or anyone here gets hurt because of my presence"

"But…"

"It's alright, I can live with it" Cliff says before he walks away, "In fact, I've been living with it my whole life"

No one says anything anymore afterward, the villagers, the drifters, no one. The rest of that night goes in silence when the drifters pack their things up. They know, tomorrow they have to go whether they want it or not.

Just like what Marilyn said yesterday, truth hurts.

_The next morning…_

Cliff is sitting lankily in a rock in outside the village while waiting for his three friends. Marilyn is dealing with the promised cut and their respective payment. She never stops staring at the villagers the whole time; hatred and disgust are written all over her face. None of the villagers dare to stare back at her for some reason. Alvin and Sophia are taking care of their mean of transportation. Apparently, the mayor who is kind enough and can act like a civilized person let them have one of his jeeps as a token of gratitude.

Cliff twirls his Dreadnaught to erase the boredom of waiting alone, but not for long. "Hey, kid" The mayor greets him from behind, catching his attention, "Nice gun you have in there"

"Thanks" Cliff chuckles, "So, what brought you here in the first place?"

"Well, at first I wanted to see how you 'doin, but it seems that your wounds are already healed in a night"

"Yeah, my luck" Cliff knows that isn't the only thing the mayor want to say, "What is it, sir? If you want to say anything regarding last night, no need. I didn't take any of their insult"

"But I did" the mayor puts a serious tone on his voice, "As the mayor of Surf Village, I thank you…for saving this whole village. And I also apologize for any inconveniences caused by my villagers"

"It's all cool" The red eyed man still collects his manners even at times like this, "when I heard you talking about your dream two days ago, I feel like I would be damned if I don't try anything to protect that dream"

"What? My dream?"

"Yeah. When you said about you wanting to own your own inn and stuff"

"Yes"

"Actually, after I heard that, I secretly decided to help you whenever you're in need of protecting your dream"

"Just because of that? You helped us just because of that?"

"It's something personal, sir" Cliff stares at the vast land of Filgaia for a moment before turning his attention back to the mayor, "I…unlike other people, I never had a dream for my whole life. I always kinda envy those who got a dream to live for. Even Marilyn, Al, and Sophia got their own dreams. Marilyn wants to meet her love again so she can live happily ever after, Al wants to see how strong he is in this world, and Sophia wants to write a book about her journey after travelling through the whole world. Me? I got no dreams or whatsoever; the closest thing I always like to do is gardening. I don't have a dream, and I don't if I will ever have one either. That's why I started to become a drifter in the first place, to find a dream which I can live for to its fullest. And never having a dream makes me realize just how precious a dream, something to hold, is. Thus, whenever I see people who had achieved their dream, I'll help them protecting it if I can"

The mayor has never thought that inside the cheerful, sleepy and easy-going Cliff lays an honest genuine wish. Simple, really. It's to find a dream, something to live for. But it's as essential as having a soul.

"Ow, that's my ride" Cliff points to the jeep, driven by Alvin. A 2006 dark colored Golden Eagle jeep. The girls are sitting on the backseat. Sophia seems happy (as usual) but Marilyn seems gloomy (as usual) despite receiving the hard earned money, "Guess I'll have to go"

"Take care" The mayor shakes hand with Cliff, "I'm sure you'll find your dream"

"Thanks, I know I will" The red haired man smiles before turning his back and heading to the jeep. However, he quickly notices three familiar figures stand from the entrance of the village waving their hands at him. It's Misses Bricks and the twins!

"Come again whenever you want! We'll welcome you!"

"We'll miss your bedtime story, Cliff!"

"See you again someday!"

Cliff smiles and waves his hand, "I'll come again! Nice to meet you all!"

And with that, he turns over his shoulder and takes his leave. How fortunate, some people still recognize him for what he deserves. Well, not every people are too blind to accept the truth, you know?

"So, where do we go?" Alvin asks his friends. Driving without knowing the destination is kinda awkward, true.

"I don't know, why don't we let Marilyn decide?" Sophia innocently looks at Marilyn.

"Sorry, but don't ask me" Marilyn answers out of boredom, "I'm still pissed off to what they did. Cannot think properly at the moment"

"I think I know where we should go" Cliff speaks up.

"You do?" Marilyn doesn't take it seriously, "Where? World Union's Headquarter?"

"That's not a bad idea, but I prefer…" Cliff picks up a PDA from his coat pocket, "Leyline Observatory in Little Rock"

"Why there?"

"Cause I found something interesting last night" Cliff shows what's inside the PDA, "I picked up this PDA from that Wade's guy pocket and found out that this contains the missions and information for several WU units. Guess what it says about Leyline Observatory in Little Rock a week ago?"

The PDA says: "Messenger of Darkness is spotted around the Leyline Observatory. All units in Little Rock standby until the next order is given"

"See? Something was definitely going on last week in Leyline" Cliff escapes a victorious smile, "And since the big cheese was there, shall we check it out?"

Marilyn looks at Sophia and Alvin before answering, sort of 'I will answer in your behalf' act, "Okay, let's go there"

"Fine, it's all settled then!" Cliff tells Alvin, "Driver, to Leyline off we go!"

"Aye-aye, captain" Alvin speeds the jeep through the road as The Four Garrison goes to their next destination.

**Author's note**

**OK, I guess this my third official author note in this story.**

**First and foremost, I would like to thank you for reading this story. I really appreciate the time and energy, no matter how small it might be, to read this story.**

**Second, I'm sorry if the first chapters are kind of cheesy to your taste, hopefully I can do better next time.**

**Third, I'm not a native speaker but I'm trying to improve. So, if my grammar displeases you, I sincerely apologize.**

**Fourth, I'll take constructive and friendly criticism, I'll take advise about the story or characters, but I don't, I repeat, I don't take any damn critic or advice on how my characters are so different from the game when it comes to battle. Whoever reads my current project in Ragnarok Online section must have known that I'm not a textbook author when it comes to battle. In battle, it is I who decide how my characters battle, it is I who give the last call on how the battle goes, and it is I how my characters are going to fight. If u hate that fact and want to cuss me because of it, then by all means please get a life. Because of two reasons:**

**This is only a fanfiction, so chill the freak out.**

**If u take this story seriously in real life, u need to be committed to an asylum ASAP before u endanger mankind in a greater scale.**

**All in all, just like other authors, thank you for reading this story. Reviews will be greatly appreciated.**

**Down below is the character info and two other terminologies. It is strongly suggested for you to read it!**

**C u next chappy (^^)!**

**I. Character info**

**Cliff Margester**

**Age: 21**

**Birthplace/Birthdate: Frontier Town Halim / 5th****August**

**H/W: 5'7 / 125 lbs**

**Occupation: Drifter (what else?)**

**Likes: Gardening, children, finding his dream, Marilyn (not in a romantic way), his two other teammates (definitely not in romantic way)**

**Dislikes: The Messenger of Darkness, The Society, Marilyn's chops (because it's specially directed to him)**

**Weapon: ARMs (Dreadnaught), a pair of giant shears, RKG-3 anti-tank grenade**

**Ability: Unrivaled marksmanship, enormous physical strength, extreme durability**

**Race: Human (or so it seems)**

**Nickname: The Crimson**

**Notes:**

**The main character of The Crimson; I based his characters of someone who, instead of the archetype saving this world from misery as his main goal blah blah blah, wants to find a dream for himself to live for in his journey. Well, he has a mission to accomplish nonetheless. I really like the concept of him being the 'victim of the leader' in his group because somehow it really suits him. Because of many unpleasant experiences of being an ARMs wielder, he has steeled himself from the insults although he never really forgot them. And his relationship with both his parents isn't so good at the moment because of some…problems. While he's an easy going, cheerful, and friendly in daily lives, he would turn into a merciless nearly unstoppable fighter when he engages combat. His specialization in battle is fighting heavy artilleries and armored vehicles. His enormous strength allows him to wield his dreaded anti-tank gun, Dreadnaught, easily without being affected by its recoil at all. His extreme durability lets him welcome any kind of attack without fearing major injuries or death, not that he's immortal, though. He and Marilyn are what we refer to as Soulmate. Although they aren't lovers, they have deep affinity with each other and treasure their friendship dearly. Maybe that's also the reason why Cliff can keep up with her (or maybe it's just because his extreme durability). The only downfall of Cliff is his sleepiness, which is also the main cause of his laziness and lankiness. As stated above, his main goal is to find a dream which he can lived for.**

**Marilyn Westerfield**

**Age: 18**

**Birthplace/Birthdate: Illsveil Prison / 26th****April**

**H/W: 5'4 / Secret**

**Occupation: Drifter, Assassin**

**Likes: Money, killing people (no kidding), the only man she loves dearly with her heart, Cliff (not in a romantic way), her two other teammates (a bit)**

**Dislikes: The Messenger of Darkness, World Union, Cliff (only when he's being lazy or sleepy…or both)**

**Weapon: Sword (Iskander Bey), accelerator**

**Ability: Excellent Swordsmanship, powerful chops (for Cliff only)**

**Race: Demon (believe it or not)**

**Nickname: Spider Lily**

**Notes:**

**The female lead of The Crimson. Surgical minded, serious, and cynical are the first three things entered my mind when I first created her character. She doesn't give a damn about injustice or evil, as long as the problem doesn't give her an opportunity to gain benefit for herself (and her group), it can go to hell (much like her act towards the people in Surf Village as depicted in chapter 2 and 3). Born in a horrible community of prisoners in Illsveil Prison controlled by World Union, she never had a chance to know her parents (and she doesn't really know if she has any). Living a hard live ever since her childhood, she learned an important thing: there's only one person you can count on in this life, and it's yourself. It's only after her savior, the man she loves so much, freed her from Illsveil Prison that she finally found compassion. She traveled with him for a couple years while being taught how to fight with a sword. Her treasured Iskander Bey is the weapon he proudly gave to her, and the only thing, other than her feeling, she keeps genuinely. Due to some unfortunate series of event, she got separated from him. That's why her main goal is to meet him again. Despite being the youngest of The Four Garrison, she usually acts as the leader of the group. Her excellent swordsmanship helps her surviving the harsh life in Filgaia. After getting separated from her love, she worked as an assassin randomly in order to revenge the hell of a life World Union put her into during her early life and to gain some information regarding her savior. But a certain event brought her to become the part of Four Garrison. She and Cliff are what we refer to as Soulmate. Although they aren't lovers, they have deep affinity with each other and treasure their friendship dearly. She won't let anyone insults him for being an ARMs wielder, and he won't let anyone insults her either. And other than herself and her savior, Cliff is the person she trusted the most. Among the four, Cliff is the only one who knows her true race.**

**Alvin Clarion**

**Age: 24**

**Birthplace/Birthdate: Baskar Colony / 14th****October**

**H/W: 5'9 / 142 lbs**

**Occupation: Drifter, Baskar Priest**

**Likes: Fighting, meat, animals**

**Dislikes: Injustice**

**Weapon: None, he counts on his fists and legs to do the business**

**Ability: Excellent Martial Arts**

**Race: Human**

**Nickname: Anhur**

**Notes:**

**The oldest of the group, but whether he's the wisest or not is debatable. He hails from Baskar Colony. He became a drifter because his father, the chief of the colony, encouraged him to 'experience' living in this vast world so that he can become wiser and stronger both as a fighter and as a man, because he will eventually inherit the chief position and lead his colony. He is a great martial artists, and this fact alone easily make him a dangerous foe in melee combat. His mother is a caring lady, and his sister is bit bratty towards him (perhaps because she loves him). He has a beautiful fiancée waiting for him back there in his colony. And they are planning to get married after Alvin gets crowned as the new chief of Baskar Colony. His own personal dream is to surpass his father as a fighter. The last but definitely not the least, he is loyal to his group. And let's say, he's the one who plastered the group.**

**Sophia LeBlanc**

**Age: 22**

**Birthplace/Birthdate: Little Twister / 30th****March**

**H/W: 5'6 / Secret**

**Occupation: Drifter, Mercenary**

**Likes: Cute things, flowers, her diary and journal**

**Dislikes: Evil**

**Weapon: ARMs (Silvia), P1907 sword bayonet**

**Ability: Near perfect sharp shooting, close quarter combat, emission magic**

**Race: Human**

**Nickname: The Sharpshooter**

**Notes:**

**The clumsiest person in the group…and also the kindest. Originally, she's a mercenary from a famous mercenary group "Blancruitzer" of Little Twister. Her father is the leader of the group (also an ARMs wielder), while her older brother acts as his right hand man (same, an ARMs wielder). Despite being good at heart, she's a bit childish and really forgetful. The latter trait makes both her father and brother worry about her future, especially on a certain term: marriage. Because they doubt they would ever find a man who can stand her, but that's not the problem right now. Cliff hired her to assist him on his journey, but she ended up being one of The four Garrison. Her sharp shooting ability is near excellence, making her a formidable long range fighter. I hope I can make her more as the comic relief of the story as The Crimson progresses. Her own personal goal is to make travel journal about her journey throughout the whole world.**

**II. Terminologies**

**Ipswich Square Massacre**

**Ever since the beginning of time, ARMs wielder is known to be child of perdition, or a demon for short. Despite secretly playing a big role on bringing peace after peace in Filgaia, the people of Filgaia never stop treating ARMs wielder as the cursed demon. This fact later changed when several ARMs wielders played a major part as members of Red Moon and saved Filgaia from Solomon and his Ars Goetia. Too bad this didn't last long. Sixteen years after The Great War is over (or six years prior to the story), an ARMs wielder opened fire in Ipswich Square, one of the most famous spots for Filgaia's residents to commemorate the downfall of Solomon in the rebuilding world, and massacred approximately 10,000 people all by himself in three days. Although the culprit remains unknown to most people to this day, the massacre unsealed Filgaia's hatred for ARMs wielders and triggered a revolution by World Union to eliminate all ARMs wielders in this world.**

**The Messenger of Darkness**

**A ruthless ARMs wielder said to bring calamity wherever he steps in. He was first spotted by few during Ipswich Square Massacre when he massacred 10,000 people in three days. Clad in black from head to toe, he travels all over Filgaia to spread his belief, that death is the only salvation for every living person. His ultimate goal is to see Filgaia destroy itself by any means, be it war, famine, disease, disaster, or if must…his direct actions. Ipswich Square Massacre was only the beginning of his plan to destroy Filgaia by making Filgaia's two strongest parties go against each other. Cliff, one of the only two survivors upon encountering him, claims him to be physically impenetrable by any means possible.**


	4. Hangman's Knot

**Chapter 4**

"_**Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore"**_

_**Andre Gide**_

"So, where exactly are we?" Alvin presents his three other friends the world map inside their jeep. Quiet uncomfortable, but that's not the case right now.

"I think we are currently somewhere around here" Sophia places her index finger in one spot on the map after seeing none of his friends answer red the earlier question, "Around Humprey's Peak"

"Not too far away from Leyline Observatory, huh? I guess now we're supposed to head to Humprey's Peak town before going to Leyline?" Cliff joins the conversation, "We're nearing our target, guys. Damn, cannot wait to see him again!"

"Not trying to ruin the mood, Cliff. But I don't think we will see him once we get to Leyline. And let's not forget we're going to Leyline to gather some useful information about WU's research about ARMs or Guardians, or WU's other secrets not for a hyped up battle" Marilyn comes as the latest participant of the mutual conversation but goes directly to the top, "We've spent 2 days since the day we learned about the news and that news was…fairly an old news, so you know what I'm trying to say"

"Aw, is it wrong to lighten up a little? I was only trying to boost myself with some new spirit, you know?!"

"I'm not going to stop you from spiriting yourself if the thing you're being spirited is reasonable. But, since it is not reasonable at all, I have the obligation to remind you of the truth"

"What?! Since when you got the authority of that obligation thing?!" Cliff frowns, much to the amusement of the other three. Alvin and Sophia entertain themselves seeing the sleepy ARMs wielder taking everything Marilyn said seriously, despite the fact the silver haired girl did so only to tease him. Yet, perhaps her usual colorless face tricked him. Note, Alvin seems amused seeing the two going at it.

"Since I decided it"

"You decided it by yourself?! Without even asking my opinion first?"

"Yes"

"You know what, Marilyn? That's cruel!"

"I'm not cruel, I'm being realistic" Never back down even for the most unimportant thing (especially against men), that's Marilyn for you, "Besides, why would he be there at Leyline after a nine days? Planning to build a new neighborhood?"

"Well, who knows?! We don't even know what his current plan is!!" And stupidly, Cliff also feels the same. Despite knowing he would just end up losing the argument again, "You want to make a bet?!"

"Oh-ho! A challenge, huh?" Marilyn irks a grin, "Bring it"

"I bet he is still there at Leyline Observatory when we reach it!!"

"I bet otherwise" A fairly calm reply from the younger girl, "What's on the stake?"

"If I win, you cannot speak for the whole week!" Wow, an admiring prize.

"Fine, what if I win?"

"I don't know. You decide"

"Ok…if I win you will have to call me mistress for the whole week" Now, that's interesting. Cliff gasps when Alvin holds his laughter hearing Marilyn; he knows this is going to be interesting.

"What?! Calling you as my mistress?!"

"You heard that right"

"That's ridiculous!"

"Oh? Chickening out?"

"I'm not chickening out!! It's a deal!"

"Great!" Marilyn sounds as if she already won, "Then you better prepare yourself to regard me as your mistress"

"You wish, pal! Prepare to stay silent for the whole week!!"

"No, you prepare"

"No, you prepare!!"

"You"

"You!!"

"…you"

"You!!"

GRUUUK!!! GRUUUK!!! GRUUUK!!

The battle is cut short by a thundering growl from a certain someone inside the jeep. Alvin, Cliff, and Marilyn goggle their eyes and leer at the source of the thundering sound, Sophia. The air-headed girl giggles seeing her friends' reaction, "Hehehehe…I'm…sorry, that was improper wasn't it?"

"That's wasn't really funny…" Marilyn escapes the ghost of sigh, "And yes, that was sooo improper for a lady"

"You're that hungry, Sophia?" Cliff frowns, "Seriously, I thought this jeep would blew off for a second"

"Uh…guys?" Alvin speaks for the greater good, "Can we go to Humprey's Peak, now? It's noon already and we haven't eaten anything yet. So if you don't mind I, and particularly Sophia, would like to fill both our stomachs with a delicious food before heading to Leyline"

"That sounds like a good idea" Cliff doesn't think anything less would be good, so he agrees, "I second that"

"Same here" Marilyn goes back to her seat, "Drive, Alvin"

"Aye-aye, madam"

It only takes a short amount of time for the group to arrive in Humprey's Peak, still the same quite little town lies between the desert and some little rocky mountains. Alvin parks the car not far from the nearest inn, allowing his friends to get out from it comfortably. And then the group heads to the inn to get something to eat.

The inn is rather empty so it doesn't take long until the innkeeper, a middle aged woman, approach them and politely serve them, "Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. This is our menu for today, please take your time deciding"

"Let's see…" Cliff observes the menu carefully before deciding, "I want a French fries, grilled steak, and a mineral water"

"I'll take chicken strips with cola" Alvin goes for second.

"I'll have the beef steak with water" A rather fanciful choice from Marilyn.

"I want a single room complete with the wines and Jacuzzi!!" Sophia sounds so out of place, "Oh, and I want the room to have a comfy bed as well!!"

Needless to be said, the innkeeper looks confused. Her inn doesn't have a Jacuzzi in the first place. Both Cliff & Marilyn are already face-palmed their face so it's up to Alvin to get the job done. "Uh…Sophia?" Alvin tugs the sniper's arm, "We're not here to book a room. We're here to eat, and then we go to Leyline"

"We're here only to eat? Says who?'

"Says us" Alvin patiently points to himself and the other two normal people.

"But, you promised me a Jacuzzi!"

"What?! When?!" Well, the reaction isn't that surprising, "I never said we're going to have a Jacuzzi!'

"…really? Is that so?"

"Yes!!"

"Well…alright…" Sophia sounds somewhat disappointed, "Then, I want to have a broiled egg and an ice tea!"

"All right, please wait for a moment" The innkeeper excuses herself and leaves.

"So, what are we going to do once we reach Leyline?" Alvin, while waiting for the foods, chooses to make a good use of the spare time.

"First, I think we shall find any information regarding the whereabouts of the big cheese" Marilyn takes the initiative to give a quick answer, just like a leader would do, "And then, if it's possible we find something that would benefit ourselves"

"Like information?" Cliff tries to clear things up.

"That and perhaps some amount of money" Marilyn clears things up, all right, "The observatory belongs to WU, right? I don't see no harm in taking their money away"

"That's right, let's do that"

Cliff's reply surprised Marilyn a bit, "Wow, never thought you would say that. I must admit I thought you would oppose what I advised and called it a grave-robbery"

The ARM's wielder sheepishly rolls his eyes, "Hey, I'm a drifter too, OK? I wouldn't oppose to taking treasures. Besides, how do you think I survived my first years as a drifter?"

"Good! That means our job shall be easier in Leyline" Marilyn cherishes the confession rather dryly, "And you better prepare yourself to call me 'mistress' for the whole week"

"Yeah, I think you would have to call her 'mistress' for the next one week, Cliff" Alvin sides with the silver haired girl this time, "I don't see why the big cheese would still be around at the moment. Cause if he does, this town would have been hacked into bits before we even came here"

"Alvin couldn't be more right" Marilyn slyly agrees, "I'm gaining an upper hand before the bet even started. Cool"

Cliff knows the two are more than likely to be right. Damn, he's never good at debating. But, he doesn't want to lose without a fight, "Don't be too sure, Marilyn. If he's still inside the observatory then you cannot talk for the whole week"

"I don't think so, Cliff. Why don't we hear what Sophia have to say?" Marilyn turns her attention to the air-head, "What do you think Sophia? Who will win the bet?"

"Eh?" Sophia didn't really pay attention to the conversation. Her mind was somewhere else, but she tries to answer so her friends don't feel ignored, "I think…Marilyn will win the bet"

"See?" Marilyn shows a proud smile to Cliff, who looks displeased cause of the lack of support, "Told you, didn't I?"

"Alright, alright!" Cliff rises and walks away, "I'm going to the bathroom"

"He seems pissed" Alvin voices what he has in mind seeing the ARMs wielder earlier.

"No, he's just realizing that he will definitely lose" Marilyn forms another proud smile on her face, "And he will have to call me mistress for the whole week, too. I cannot wait to see him doing that, really"

Too bad, Sophia gets it wrong again, "But one thing I have never expected is how bad you want to be his mistress, Marilyn. I thought you weren't the submissive type"

"Pardon me?" Marilyn feels something is seriously wrong with Sophia's statement. As for Cliff & Alvin, they just stare at each other…wondering if Sophia is being forgetful again, "Submissive type? What do you mean? Are we on the same page?"

Well, the dark haired woman isn't a bad person to begin with, so feeling nothing is wrong at all, she calmly replies, "Truthfully, I think you're the type of woman who wouldn't just surrender yourself to a man willingly. A man would have to drip his blood and tears to have you, but I was wrong. You offered yourself to be Cliff's mistress just with a simple bet"

"Wahahahahahahah!!! Wuahahahahahaha!!!" Alvin explodes with a laughter the second Sophia finished, "That's priceless!!! What she said is actually true!! Wahahahahahaha!!!"

Getting what she meant, Marilyn rapidly disputes the misunderstanding before Cliff returns, "Wait, that is not it!!! I didn't mean to be his mistress!! It's just a bet!! Why would I give up myself just like that?! That doesn't make sense!"

"But, isn't 'mistress' the way a husband refer to his woman politely, Marilyn? That means you want him to refer you as his wife, right?" Seeing this comes from a completely oblivious person, it's only normal that is the only meaning she knows, "That's why I said it's rather submissive of you. But, I can understand that. A maiden's heart is always full of mystery"

"I said that's not it!! I didn't mean to wanting him refer me as his wife!! You got it all wrong!" Marilyn's blood starts going to her face, "I want him to refer me as his superior!!"

"Superior? Doesn't that mean telling him add 'sama' after your name is enough?" Another bold reply from the sniper. This time, hitting a bull's-eye, "Why do you prefer 'mistress' over 'sama', Marilyn?"

"Yeah, that's right!" Alvin cuts Marilyn's chance to respond, "Yeah, now I want to know too. Why do you want him to call you 'mistress', Marilyn? Is something going on?"

"No!! It's…uh…" Cornered, the swordswoman tries to come up with something real good, "_Why?! I wonder, why?! It just came out like that!"_

Thankfully (or not?), Cliff returns in the right time, "What's going on, guys? The food isn't here yet?"

"No, no!! Nothing is going on!!" Before the other two could answer, Marilyn seizes the chance to put the debate down to rest, "Hey, that's the food!! Why don't you sit so we can finish our lunch!! Leyline's waiting, right?!"

"Uh…okay, yeah" Cliff sits and then they begin to enjoy their lunch. But, for sure everyone's still got something on their mind:

Cliff: _What was going on when I was away? I'm starting to smell something fishy here!_

Marilyn: _Okay, stay calm. Stay calm, Marilyn. It's not like you to lose your composure, so stay calm._

Alvin: _You cannot deceive my eyes, Marilyn. There must be a reason for your choice, and I'm going to find out what it is!!_

Sophia: _Is it just me or everyone is talking to themselves right now?_

The lunch finishes rather quickly, so the four goes back to the jeep and drives away to Leyline Observatory. Leyline Observatory exists from long ago, when the land of Filgaia was filled with sands of deserts. No one really knows who built the observatory in the first place, but some said it was first used to conceive an experiment related to Filgaia. Long after that, the observatory became an abandoned building and home for many monsters, especially Bonedrakes. During the Genesis War, the observatory was used as one of the soldiers' bases for Solomon and his Ars Goetia. After the war had ended, World Union made a good use of the place and turned it into their own personal laboratory. Now, it seems the observatory becomes yet another Bonedrakes' nest thanks to The Messenger of Darkness killing all the scientists and soldiers reside within it.

The Four Garrison stops not far from the observatory, dome like building surrounded by small canyons and desert. There are many abandoned military vehicles around the building, presumably belong to the killed soldiers and scientists. Sophia observes the bodies inside the vehicles and finds them hacked to bits, or even, blasted to bits. It's must be The Messenger of Darkness' doing, seeing how the vehicles got holes all over them.

"This place smells like blood" Alvin notices the drenched atmosphere inside the area quickly after stepping into the entrance along with the three other Garrisons, "I cannot even tell whether the smell comes from the corpses inside or outside the building"

"Well, one thing we knew this place is Bonedrakes' nest" Marilyn comment before glancing at Cliff, "Say, how about having some exercises in the noon? You know, to burn calories?"

"Yeah, let's burn some calories" Cliff chuckles, knowing what she meant, and picks an anti tank grenade, RKG-3, from behind his trench coat. The red eyed man shows the grenade to the rest of the garrisons, signaling them to be ready, "On three?"

"On three" Marilyn answers before unsheathing her Iskander Bey. Alvin stretches his arms while Sophia withdrawing her Silvia. Everyone's ready.

1…2…3!

Cliff throws the RKG-3 to inside the hall, right to its center. The anti tank grenade explodes and blasts the hall away, cleaning it from the furniture and also inviting the bonedrakes to come with its piercing sound. And indeed, a large number of Bonedrakes show up. Seeing the ducks are sitting on the table, the Four Garrison wastes time no more and charges into the hall with full speed.

Alvin engages the bonedrakes faster than the other Garrisons, sending one of them flying to the wall by an excellently executed Chambered punch. The bonedrake suffering from the hit got killed in an instant second. And it's only normal for Alvin; his hit would break any normal's bones or hard rock in a single direct hit. It may not be strong enough to break a solid metal, but bonedrakes aren't made of metal so it's their loss. Two other bonedrakes quickly approach the man nicknamed as Anhur with confidence, possibly not learning anything from their former's fate. Alvin brought down a bonedrake with compacted fist using his wrist from upon it and hits ir before delivering a fatal Overhand punch right to its back, ending its life in an instant. The other bonedrake attempts to bite him with its two fangs but Alvin bested him in terms of speed, grabbing both its fangs before slamming the bonedrake to the floor with full power. Noticing three other bonedrakes are close enough to attack him from behind, Alvin uses the damaged bonedrake as his weapon and throws it right away to the three, knocking them all down. The Baskar native seizes this chance and leaps, landing perfectly near the four monsters. Alvin sweeps one of them with one fine low Roundhouse kick, followed by a middle Roundhouse kick and brought the bonedrake to the air. Performing a low leap, Alvin retires the bonedrake using a high roundhouse kick and sends him back to the other three waiting below, giving them the taste of togetherness some more as well as making them flung.

Quickly after Alvin lands, another six are ready to be taken down. The green haired fighter bravely advances toward them, not even the faintest idea of hesitation goes through his mind. Two bonedrakes go after him at the same time with their fangs, again, ready. Alvin starts running up before jumping right to the direction of the two bonedrakes. The two bonedrakes are caught off guard when Alvin unleashes a powerful kick in the mid-air, hitting one of the two monsters and sending him flying back to the other four waiting behind them, momentarily disable them. This buys Alvin enough time to take care of the one standing near him. The bonedrake, apparently not learning anything from its predecessors, tries to bite the Baksar native. Alvin easily stops his movement by throwing a straight punch to his mouth, breaking both its fang and stuttering the bonedrake in pain. But don't worry, Alvin is a kind man. And because of his kindness, he kills the bonedrake with another straight blow to its face before the monster could even scream. When he sees the five bonedrakes he took down before are beginning to rise, Alvin couldn't help but grin in excitement. His warrior blood is boiling at the moment. And seeing his targets on sight, he rushes towards them with full flair.

Sophia aims her Silvia and fires one bonedrake right at its head, revealing four other more behind it. Being a sniper, anyone would think a close range combat would take her down easily. But that stereotype doesn't apply to this air-headed lady. Her emission magic makes up for that. She can move any object as long as she managed to touch it and it is within her eyesight. So, much to the surprise of the bonedrakes Sophia suddenly appears on their friend's previous point. The bullet she put inside the first bonedrake allowed her to travel that way. The Blancruitzer sniper fires one other bonedrake in the head before blasting the remaining three in quick charge. The sniper quickly sights five other bonedrakes heading to her direction from her left. Taking the advantage of her reach and her semi-automatic rifle, Sophia proceeds to blast a hole in their head, one by one. She starts from the left before firing at the one in the middle. The sniper takes quick glance and in less than six seconds, fires all three of them consecutively. She didn't even give them the chance to come anywhere near her. Having only one 7.62x51mm NATO bullet left in the chamber, Sophia takes another magazine from behind her short coat while observing her surrounding. There are still dozens of bonedrakes left, and they don't give any intention on giving up from eating her. Setting ten bonedrakes as her next target, Sophia grabs the magazine with left hand while shooting through them with her right. The ARMs wielder quickly trade places with the bullet she just shot and reloads her Silvia before any of the bonedrakes near her notice.

One shot, one kill. The motto of every sniper in this world, and Sophia is no exception. She fires three of the bonedrakes from their behind in another consecutive manner, hitting their head with each shot. The other seven turns their back and rushes at her, but the sniper shows no fear at all. Changing her plan, she kneeled down before blasting the leg of the bonedrakes seven times in a quick dispatching attempt, and she blasted their legs less than fifteen seconds. The bonedrakes fell before wailing a painful scream, each losing one leg holding their body. There is no mercy written on Sophia's eye, as clumsy as she could be she still belongs to a group of drifter and mercenary. Reloading her Silvia for the second time today, Sophia quickly takes aim to the paralyzed monsters on the floor. Placing her right index finger on the trigger and using her left hand to get a better hold of her Silvia, Sophia fires her ARMs ten times in rapid pace, blowing the head of the ten bonedrakes one by one in an exact ten seconds. As the bonedrakes lifeless bodies are ricocheting all over the floor, the sniper proudly smiles when she prepares another magazine. This time to blast the rest of the bonedrakes surround her. The next thing the bonedrakes heard is the sound of the magazine placed in the chamber followed by Silvia clicking; and that means they won't live long when Sophia starts aiming at them with flair written all over her face.

Coming down from the aisle making her entrance to the hall, next, is Marilyn Westerfield with her Iskander Bey. The silver haired girl slashes one of the bonedrakes in half and spots five more on her left. Turning her Accelerator on, she's in a mode where she can move so fast she would leave an after image for the next three minutes. The bonedrakes don't even have the chance to keep their eye on her because she suddenly appears in front of them and slain three of them with one single slash, splattering their blood all over the floor. The remaining two tries to attack her but before they could, they felt something cutting their fangs off before slicing their throat open. Another group of bonedrakes consisted of twelve flesh eating monster appears from her behind and tries to gang up on her. Skillfully, the swordswoman assembles to behind of the group and leaves them nothing but her trail of after image to bite with. After she lands, Marilyn quickly executes her Guillotine to the five nearest bonedrakes and beheads them in a single second. That leaves seven more for her to work with. After slashing a bonedrake who tries to turn its head to spot her, she quickly employs her sword to stab another one near the previous in the torso. With four more to go and they already have their sight back on her, the leader of the garrisons performs her second Guillotine today and cuts the bonedrakes head off perfectly.

The battle didn't tire her out, not even a sweat could be seen running on her. Maybe she enjoys this. Maybe she enjoys slaughtering things; it's her nature as a metal demon. Or maybe she just wants to get this deed done quickly? Who knows; one thing we know is she's doing a damn good job at it. Now, the hunters have become the hunted when Marilyn sets two dozens more as her next target. She rushes with full speed towards them, so fast that even the first bonedrake she kills from the group doesn't get the chance to follow her movement. Another long rail of after images circle the group, the bonedrakes can do nothing but trying to grasp her motions with their frail brain. Amidst their confusion, Marilyn sneaks inside the group and stabs one of them on its head. She continues her rampage by quickly pulling out her sword from its body and slashes the one on her left before kills the one standing behind her. The bonedrakes are now too afraid to attack her and scatters to save their lives, but Marilyn doesn't feel like letting them go. With one and a half minute remaining to use her Accelerator before it needs a cool down for a minute, she chases the nearest six on her front and swipes them away with her Guillotine again, leaving fifteen more for her to kill. Casting her sight on the first nine on her right, the swordswoman dispatches their attempt to run away by besting them in terms of speed and appears in front of them. The bonedrakes stop right away, much to their shock. Marilyn slices open the one in front of her before stabbing the bonedrake behind her previous targets. Desperately, the remaining seven attempts to attack her. And that was foolish because it costs them their lives. The swordswoman slashes two of them at the same time and proceeds to evade the three fang attacks from her front by dodging to the ground. From below, when the three bonedrakes are still in the mid-air, the swordswoman cuts their stomach open and quickly gaze at the three remains. The remaining bonedrakes change direction and run, however they got bested again by the accelerator. The next thing they knew is they lose their head, just like many of their kin before. With six more running for their lives, The Spider Lily finishes them off with another Guillotine. Unknown to anyone else, she escaped the ghost of a pleasured smile before her sword touches the bonedrakes.

And the last but definitely not the least: The Crimson. Slowly walks into a group of bonedrakes, he smirks. He smirks knowing all too well the bonedrakes would just be another prey for him, much like his garrisons compatriots did. As the dusts in the floor cleared by the running bonedrakes, Cliff draws his Dreadnaught on his right hand and takes aim. One bonedrake is faster than the rest and arrives right in front of Cliff earlier than his group. Cliff seizes the opportunity to open fire and blasts him away into pieces. Dreadnaught, being a compressed anti tank rifle, would cause a massive hydrostatic shock to any living targets it pierces. Dreadnaught's hydrostatic shock can produce aggravated wounding and incapacitating effects in living targets, in addition to local effects in tissue caused by direct impact, through a hydraulic effect in liquid-filled tissues. There is scientific evidence that hydrostatic shock can produce remote neural damage and produce incapacitation more quickly than blood loss effects; so it's only normal for the bonedrakes who's 80% of its body made up of bones to be shattered into pieces just by one single shot. The drifter spots two other bonedrakes coming for him and fires them away in turn. Not having a penchant for waiting, he runs to the rest of the group waiting for him. The bonedrakes decide to take the advantage of them outnumbering him and attacks at the same time. Five of them jump to the mid-air to seize the drifter but Cliff outmaneuvers all five of them by piercing the first two with two shots before spotting the remaining three are jumping in line, so he shoots one bullet and hits the one in the front as well as the last two on the back, crumbling them into pieces using only a bullet. The rest of the bonedrakes run deeper to the hall in fear of getting killed, seeing how Cliff and the other three garrisons are from anther planet. But The Crimson doesn't have any intention of letting them go away. Observing how his friends are having fun in their own way, the red haired man decides to follow the scared bonerakes deeper into the hall before finding a wicket gate. He sure he's in for a surprise inside there so he reloads his Dreadnaught while planning the best way to end the battle quickly. Prepared, he marches. Quietly opening the wicket gate, Cliff finds a horde of bonedrakes waiting inside. The back of the hall must be their nest in this building. There are bonedrakes everywhere he casts his eyesight on. And the bonedrakes seem to be ready to eat him…if they could. He shoots the first of eight bullets and hit one bonedrake right in the head, shattering it into pieces as well as ricocheting the monster back.

And this taunts the other bonedrakes to go after the drifter. Cliff takes this as a challenge and begins to execute his plan to end them fast. After firing the bonedrake not far from his left, he spots two bonedrakes are coming for him from above so he fires them quickly before they could approach him. Apparently, one bonedrake emerges from his behind and bites his left shoulder. Too bad, Cliff's whole body is harder than nearly anyone's. The bone fang didn't damage him at all, it didn't even hurt him. The red eyed man slowly puts his ARMs on the bonedrake's surprised face and blows it away. Another quick attack comes to him 4 feet from his behind but he quickly dispatches it using his ARMs. He shoots the remaining three bullets finely to three bonedrakes trying to bite him after running from his behind. Bonedrakes are cowards; they only dare to attack from behind. Four more circles around him and jumps at him, but Cliff quickly pulls out his shears from behind his coat and knocks them away before they reach him. Indeed, there are too many of the bonedrakes. He needs to do something quick, but he is yet to know what until he realizes the bonedrakes are all targeting him, and that gives him the idea he needs. Cliff quickly runs to the center of the room, right into the hordes of bonedrakes. He swipes whoever tries to attack him from the front using his shears to knock them away, obviously planning something with the tool he got behind his coat. When he reaches the center of the hall, the bonedrakes are surrounding him as he planned. Concentrating back on his previous goal, after he reloads his ARMs Cliff pulls eight RKG-3 and throws them to the horde in circle without pulling their pin for a reason. When the anti tank grenades are still on mid-air, The Crimson locks his target and shoots his 9x19mm Parabellum bullet right to each one of the grenades in rapid pace. It was so accurate, he hit one grenade with one bullet. And it was so fast too. Exploding all of them, it triggered a big explosion among the bonedrakes after the other seven follows. That was his plan all along, a chain reaction. He purposely threw the grenades in circle hoping for a large number of bonedrakes to come after him without even realizing they were being marched to surround him. That way, he could blast them away with eight fine shots. The grand explosion destroyed a very large number of them, if not all. The fires spread everywhere it burnt the bonedrakes who didn't get caught up in the explosion to death. The explosion also trembled the whole front area of the observatory and completely surprises the other three drifters to the point they stopped their doings to see what is going on. Several pieces of rock from the battered hall, knocked loose from the impact, tumbled down on top of the floor when more dust fell from the ceiling. The wicket gate is destroyed. Amidst the dust and smokes, a single bonedrake could be seen trying to stand on his legs with all his might. Cliff ceases his effort by blowing its torso from where he stood after reloading his Dreadnaught again, thus ending his mission to bring the house down.

Alvin, Sophia, and Marilyn steps inside the destroyed hall and witness The Crimson's work.

"Wow, that was rather harsh way to end them" Now with no bonedrakes on sight in the hall, Alvin could honestly praise his comrade, "Way to go, Crimson. Job well done"

"Well, I prefer a quick work to finish those losers. Anyway, thank you" Cliff says when he withdraws his Dreadnaught, "Although a certain someone doesn't look happy about it"

"Hmph, I could have dealt with them even if you didn't swipe them all away!" Marilyn, in rather displeasing tone, sheathes her Iskander Bey back to its scabbard hanging on her belt, "Thanks to you, I was spared from the fun!"

"Look at the bright side, Marilyn. He saved us from the trouble of having to deal with the bonedrakes" Sophia calms the swordswoman down, while withdrawing her Silvia, "And now we have all the time we need to observe this place, right?"

"Right, but let's hope Cliff didn't destroy anything important here" It looks like Marilyn is still mad cause she feels she was robbed of her fun, "Different from him, the objects inside this place aren't fire-proof"

"No worries, at least I know where we should go. I have the map of the observatory here" Cliff shows the PDA again to his comrades, "This building consists of four wings: the north wing, the south wing, the east wing, and the west wing. The hall, where we currently are, is in the north wing. We've seen nothing but bonedrakes here so we can skip searching this wing. We got three more wings to work on. I say, we split into two teams and search in the west & east wing at the same time. After we're done with those two wings, we get back here and check the south one together"

"That sounds cool, but there's one problem" Sophia speaks up, "Who's going with who?"

And that question is just what Alvin needs to execute his idea, "You're going with me to the east, Sophia. Marilyn will go to west accompanied by her beloved soulmate, Cliff"

"What?!" Marilyn and Cliff shouts at unison before pointing at each other, "My beloved?! This person?!"

"Ow, how cute! See? You both shouted at the same time!!" Alvin seems to find amusement from doing things like this, "Ok, chop-chop!! Let's go!! We don't have time to waste here!"

"But, Alvin…" Sophia wishes to voice her mind, but Alvin cuts her by dragging her quickly into the west wing before Cliff and Marilyn could do anything.

"_Damn!!! He did this on purpose!!" _Marilyn steams to herself. Turning over her shoulder, she sees Cliff sighing, "And just why are you sighing?"

"You tell me" Cliff glances to the west corridor, "So, you're going or not?"

Marilyn doesn't like how Cliff sounds so here goes another selfish wish from a certain swordswoman in Filgaia, "I'll go, but that's not the way you ask a lady to accompany you"

Knowing her antics, Cliff cannot help but protest, "Ow, Marilyn!! Not this time!! We don't have time for this!"

"Well, you just proved you had a time for protesting" Marilyn rolls over both her eyes, "So?"

Cliff, among all the people in Filgaia, knows all too well that Marilyn likes to be spoiled and treated like a queen. She acts like this because her lover had always treated her like a queen and spoiled her, so it became one of her antics which stay until now. Among the garrisons, Cliff is the only one who could keep up with her antics. Sophia and Alvin would have raised the white flag earlier; maybe that's why Alvin quickly took initiative to split the team. And Cliff also know he wouldn't win in a debate against Marilyn, so he gives up, "…Marilyn, may I have…the honor to be accompanied by you to the west wing?"

"Now, isn't that easy?" Marilyn forms a pleased smile on her face, "Sure, since you asked me I would go with you. Shall we go now?"

"Yes…" Cliff sighs again as the two goes into the west corridor….

_********_

The west wing, much like the north, is full of dead bodies of WU soldiers lying everywhere. The west wing of the Leyline Observatory mainly consists of room for saving archives, weaponry, and some experimental rooms which God only knows what kind of experiment was being held in those rooms. Since no one but Marilyn and Cliff are there, the wing is fairly quiet.

"For God's sake, this place is drenched with blood and corpses" Marilyn slowly shakes her head when she and Cliff arrive in an oval room connected with four different laboratories, "Big cheese really did a neat job here. You gotta give him that"

"Yup, massacre always seems to be his cup of tea" Cliff couldn't agree more, "So, where do we start searching clues?"

"You mean which door?"

"Yes"

"I guess we'll try that sliding metal door" Marilyn points out, "The one with W-1 written on it"

The two enters the W-1 door not long after she decided. The room, just like the hallway, is painted by blood and decorated by corpses. Originally, it's a large infirmary room.

"Ironic…the soldiers used this room to take a rest yet now they are resting forever" Cliff pities the dead bodies on the bed, "This one seemed to have been murdered while he was asleep"

"And this one seemed to have been murdered while he was about to get up" Marilyn pointing to a dead body lying beside one of the beds, "Let's get out of here, Cliff. I don't think we'll find anything useful here"

The two drifters enter the room behind W-1, the W-2 room. W-2 room is connected with W-3, and they both are laboratory. Of course, blood and dead bodies completed the room perfectly.

"This room is a laboratory, huh? I wonder what they were researching here" Cliff doesn't need a long time to find shattered glasses, broken tubes, destroyed automated analyzers, and other leveled devices. Dozens of papers, possibly research files, are scatted all over the floor.

"I'm sure we don't need an Einstein to tell us they were being hammered nicely before they could even walk a step outside" Marilyn grows weary of the dead bodies and bloods. Those things surely aren't worth any information they were looking for, "Come on, let's go to the next room"

Apparently, the last room seems to have some kind of surprise hiding on its inside so Cliff prepares his Dreadnaught in case something monstrous shows up and slowly opens the W-4 door. It's an archive room with some computers to find the files on the tables beside the sliding metal door. And much like the other rooms, several bodies are quickly spotted in it. The files are compiled neatly in the drawers inside the room. Each drawer has its own note plastered on its door; each note tells you the number of the drawer but not what's inside the drawer, ranging from the info of the research, supplies, etc., "Well, what we search in this room?"

"Let's find something related to their research here. I don't know what WU was possibly researching here, but the files should tell us" Marilyn opens the drawers and witnesses tons of files ready to be read inside, "There are too many…this would take all day long"

"Not if we can help it" Cliff tugs on the computer, smartly suggesting using the modern technology device to make their job easier, "Let's try our luck on that"

"Good point"

The two finds one computer that is still working and turns it on. After a while, the device is ready to be operated. It doesn't take long for Cliff to enter the search page, "What do you think we should type?"

"Type research results"

"R-e-s-e-a-r-c-h-r-e-s-u-l-t-s" The ARMs wielder types the magic word and the computer tells them to search in drawer number 5, 6, and 7.

Both soulmates open the drawers but still find loads of crap to work with. "Oh my god, there are millions of files here…" Marilyn mutters much to Cliff's agreement, "Maybe we should change our search range into much smaller range"

"Ok…but what would I type then?"

"Let's see…." Marilyn starts to think, but seeing Cliff blankly stare at her without thinking annoys her, "Hey, why don't you also think for the greater good?! I'm not the only one with a brain inside my head here!"

"But, I don't know what to think!"

"What?! Is sleeping all you can do?!"

"Hey, I can use my ARMs pretty good too!!"

"Well, maybe you sho…" The last statement gives Marilyn just the right word, "That's it!! Type ARMs in the search page!"

"ARMs?" Cliff stammers, "Mind to fill me in?"

"Simple, WU isn't as honorable as they look. In fact, they are filled with total douchebags all over their premises. They might have said ARMs wielders are their enemies, but who knows what's going on behind the scene?" The silver haired girl gives a quick explanation, "Type ARMs or ARMs wielder on the search page and we will find something useful. Trust me"

"Hopefully, it's in much smaller range" Cliff types ARMs in the search page and the computer tells them to look inside drawer number 16, the smallest of all drawers. With new spirit, the two opens the drawer no. 16 and finds only a pile of files, a lot smaller than their previous works. Cliff grins and glances at Marilyn, "Cool guess, sister"

And she's so damn right. The files consist of list of ARMs in Filgaia.

"Wow, look at these pictures and ARMs profiles" Cliff cannot hold his excitement, "I gotta admit they're good enough collecting so many data about ARMs. We got Modified Coyote M17F, Rapier Ez, and Sniper Shark XR"

"And we got Vantage Rage MM, AW-RSTN87, and Gillius GS12/23" Marilyn replies, "There are many other ARMs too, but these ARMs seem to be an ancient ARMs"

"You mean, ARMs from the past?"

"Yup, my best guess is they're trying to learn the secret of ARMs by holding an experiment using the ancient ARMs"

"Does that mean they cannot catch a modern era ARMs wielder? Not even one?"

"Maybe…or maybe we just don't know yet" Marilyn shortly answers before starting to compile the files, "Either way, let's compile the files first. They might be useful"

"OK" Cliff helps her and they're done quicker than they thought. But the ARMs wielder doesn't think these much would be enough for them to learn something later, "Marilyn, do you think we should get some more files? I mean, we're already here so why don't we use it for our own good?"

Putting her index finger on her lips, Marilyn thinks for a second before telling Cliff, "True…why don't you try and type guardian on the search page?"

"G-u-a-r-d-i-a-n…it's drawer number 20"

They open drawer number 20 and find a short pile of files. And this raises their spirit to look into the files. Too bad, although Cliff and Marilyn try to search for anything useful in the files, but all they find is the result of researches, tables, languages, or numbers they don't understand. Maybe they should have brought Einstein with them.

"_Uh…can anyone tell me what does this table mean_?" Cliff picks a file and shakes his head in front of it. Marilyn doesn't seem to be progressing either. As much as she hates to admit it, she doesn't understand any of the research file.

"These files…they are written in language we don't understand. I hate to admit this but this is a good anticipative plan from WU" Marilyn lets out an exasperated sigh, "Maybe they hire some scientists who studied the ancient language and employed them here. Too bad the big cheese killed all of them; if not maybe we could ask one"

"That would make things a lot easier" Cliff compiles the files with the others but a statement from Marilyn gets the best of his attention.

"Well, the big cheese killed them after knowing the meaning of these files. That's for sure"

"How do you know that?"

"The files…I couldn't read them but they weren't compiled in the folder in order. It's kinda messy compared to the files about the ARMs. Assuming the order of the files was supposed to be compiled properly; these files are surely out of luck of being treated so. It appears to me they got thrown away back in the drawer after being read just like that" The silver haired girl explains her point, "So, it's either the big cheese forced one of the scientists to translate it for him before killing the scientist or the big cheese understands ancient language"

"That's a pretty cool deduction, Marilyn. I gotta give you that"

"Why, thank you"

"But what shocked me more is WU could fight The Society at the same time while taking an effective anticipation progress from the threats they are facing, either from us or The Society" Cliff face-palms before realizing something, "Unless…"

"Unless?" The exception word catches Marilyn's attention.

"Unless they got supports from certain people!" Cliff finally uses his brain for a greater good, "You know, like…nobles or aristocrats! And in turn, WU would give them some facilities or support what they do!"

"What makes you think that?"

"Think about it, Marilyn! They have to fight The Society and that certainly costs them a shitload amount of money! Not to mention they have to take care of their areas, soldiers, and other threats! That would cost them another loads of money! I know they run a lot of business properties around the world, but you can only buy so much! Where would they get so much money if their members, mainly consist of the aristocrats and the nobles, didn't support them?!"

"Wow, that sounds…logical…" Marilyn eventually agrees, "Let's type donation or support on the search page"

Not wasting anymore breath, Cliff types donation on the search page and finds drawer no. 12 to be his next destination. Surprisingly, when he and Marilyn open drawer no. 12 they only find a folder inside it. Nothing more.

"Weird, but let's give it a shot" Marilyn grabs the folder and opens it, finding only a dozen files containing list of names of the donators. Both garrisons look at the top of the lists and learn certain names, "Franco Silva, Bill Rodman, Paolo Begucci…hey, the last name sounds familiar"

"You mean Lord Paolo Begucci? Isn't he the owner of Gunner's Heaven?" Cliff easily recalls the name, "You know, the place where he holds a fighting tournament each month? Illegally of course"

"So he's one of WU donators, eh? No wonder WU overlook his doing" Marilyn sounds somewhat amused, "Fighting tournament, hm? Now that's interesting"

"So? Is Gunner's Heaven our next destination?" Cliff surely knows how her brain works.

"You bet" The younger drifter chuckles, but their fun is cut short when they heard a roar from outside the room.

"What's that?!" Cliff pulls out his Dreadnaught again when Marilyn unsheathes her Iskander Bey. Something is waiting for them inside, and rest assured it isn't something nice.

_********_

"Why do you bring me here forcefully, Alvin?" Sophia isn't always a serious girl, but she has a big curiosity inside her air-head. Much like the west wing, the east wing also provides bloodstains and dead bodies, so I won't go into further details. Either way, Sophia carries on, "I don't mind accompanying you, but you could have asked me nicely. Didn't your fiancée at Baskar Colony teach you that?"

"Sophia, I'm so sorry for dragging you here. But, I just couldn't help it" Alvin wholeheartedly apologizes to the sniper but not without explaining his reason, "I really want to let Marilyn have some…private time with Cliff!"

"What? Why?"

"Don't you realize it at all? Whenever the two engages in a certain activity they would spark some 'interest' on my side. I don't know how to explain it clearly, but I just feel like seeing the two of them together" Alvin does his best to make his point as clear as possible.

"Oh…" Sophia acts like she understood the point, although possibly she didn't, "Yeah, they seem to fancy each other's companion…or should I say, Cliff is the only one among us who got a heart big enough to keep up with Marilyn"

"Totally" Alvin happily snaps his finger, "Especially with the mistress thing being thrown around on the ring! Maybe Marilyn would grow eviler against Cliff this time?! Dude, would that be awesome!"

"Well, I don't know. Marilyn always wants to be spoiled but she's not a bad friend. She helps me writing my journal, and she also helps you running our errand. And whenever someone accuses Cliff of being a demon Marilyn is always the first to unsheathe her sword" The recalling by Sophia starts, "Do you remember a year ago in Luda Town? She nearly cut that old man's neck if you didn't stop her at the right time"

"I was lucky she didn't use her accelerator that time" Alvin kinda rolls his eyes answering, "Otherwise, she would have killed that old man for calling Cliff a demon"

"Talking about killing, the big cheese sure knew how to massacre a mass number of people" Sophia takes several glances at the floor and her surrounding to understate her mind, "And we haven't find anything useful here at all"

"Yeah, it's just hallways along the way…" Alvin changes his opinion when he hears something, "Or maybe not"

"What makes you say that?"

"That" The green haired man points to a locked metal wicket gate with bloodstain all over it, "It's inviting us to come in. Maybe this is a service from the big cheese. Let's get in there"

"Yeah, I'll better prepare Silvia" Sophia draws her ARMs before Alvin delivers a roundhouse kick to the wicket gate and breaks it open. Inside, they see a large chamber with no bodies or bloodstains unlike the other rooms. But one thing distinguish the chamber from the other rooms is on the corner of the chamber lies a big experimental tube…which is shattered into pieces. They have no idea what kind of creature was living there, but one thing for sure, if a creature did live there it is now free.

"Don't tell me the tube used to contain a horrible looking monster inside it" Alvin looks at Sophia with so much hope. The air head returns the look which is saying 'I think a horrible looking creature used to live inside the tube'.

"Oh, well…"Alvin rubs the back of his head, disappointed, "We couldn't find anything useful here, so why don't we go to the hall?"

Alvin got a very surprising reply, because a roar could be heard from outside the door. The two prepares their stance and locks their eyes on the metal door, preparing themselves in case something barges in. But nothing comes up after several seconds, making them think they misheard the roar. But it couldn't be; the roar was loud and clear.

"Let's get back to the hall. Maybe Marilyn and Cliff have heard the roar too. We would be safer if we meet them" Alvin suggest with a quick think which Sophia quickly agrees without even saying a word. The two runs back to the hall to see the other two garrisons waiting for them.

"You guys heard the roar too?" Marilyn questions the other two before they even reach her point.

"Loud and clear" Sophia answers, "Did you two find anything in the west wing?"

"Only some folder of files" Cliff shows the folder containing the files they got from their search in the west wing, "But hopefully this would do us a favor"

"You're lucky; we found nothing but big empty tube with slimy liquid inside it" Alvin bemoans the fact of their opposite luck.

And indeed, maybe they are running out of luck. Because the next thing they heard is another roar, this time they clearly hear the roar comes from the south hallway. The Four Garrisons prepare their respective weapons and casts their attention to the south hallway. Alvin looks at Cliff who notices and nods, telling him that he agrees they should check the hallway. Slowly, the boys walk closer to the south hallway when the girls are readying themselves from behind in case something happens. Just when Cliff & Alvin are about to step inside the southern hallway, they quickly spots four giant purple colored tentacles coming for them from inside the hallway. The two dodges before the tentacles could catch them, but boy are they surprised to see its size. The tentacles are more than fifty feet long with giant size; one tentacle would be enough to wrap an adult man and crush him to pieces. As if they know who to assault, the four tentacles attack the four drifters. But, they chose the wrong opponents this time. With great ease, Marilyn slashes one tentacle and cuts it to half; Alvin butterfly kicks the tentacle coming for him; Sophia fires the tentacle aiming her with a point blank shot and damages it; and Cliff blasts the tentacle running toward him using his Dreadnaught, turning it into pieces of fresh fleshes.

Another roar is heard, this time indicating pain, as whoever owns the tentacles withdraws them back. The four drifters observe the scene quietly, but their quietness is soon broken by an earthquake inside the observatory. The building is shaking. Without anyone to tell them what to do, The Four Garrison runs outside with full speed in order to save themselves and to see what is going on. More than likely, the monster is going to show himself. And they are right.

Leyline Observatory trembles for almost a minute before slowly drowned into the sand. Or more like, the desert is sucking them in. "Go back to the jeep, guys!! Something is going on under the desert!" Marilyn shouts to warn her comrades as she herself tries to supervise her own balance. Suddenly, the entire area is shaking like it's having an earthquake. Sands burst out from the ground below, the observatory sinks deeper and deeper into the ground; whatever it might be this would be huge. Fortunately, all the four drifters managed to get inside their jeep and drives away, as far as they could. The trembling ground kinda slow them down, but Alvin still maintains to drive away from the succumbing building. After five minutes, the terror is over and the quake ceases.

"It's over?" Sophia asks to her other three friends who are still inside the jeep, "What was that, I wonder?"

"Maybe….it was the monster from the tube" Alvin takes a good wild guess, "And is it just me or he's not done with us?"

Indeed, he's not. The area around the jeep trembles again before at least two dozens purple colored tentacles emerges from behind the ground and circles them, giving the jeep no space to run. The tentacles, easily breaking and moving from inside the ground, spread to further maximize the area of their movement before gathering in one spot around thirty feet away from the jeep. And then, the creature comes out…emerging from under the ground by jumping to the mid-air, it's an average sized black colored monster with a hexa-pedal base on the ground involving the utilization of its four primary limbs to maintain movement. The skull and maxilla of the creature have elongated to accommodate its massive mandible, a gaping, circular cavity surrounded by rows of spike-like projections, which is fused into the many spikes that formerly covered the thorax of the beast. It moves around with an odd gait, more a dog or wolf. It will either swipe at its victims with a small forearm, or more dangerously, it will grab them and gnaw them with its massive fangs.

"Wow…that freak sure is huge, guys" Alvin expresses what's inside his friends' mind too, "But I see no tentacles from his body"

"Maybe, there is another monster under the ground" Marilyn quickly figures the situation out, "See? The tentacles aren't attached to that freak. They still move from under the ground so there's gotta be another monster underground"

Cliff points out to the window and makes the three other drifters realized the monster is running for them, "Well, that freak is heading right here!! Let's deal with the monsters!!"

"OK, Alvin will help me stop this wolf freak! Cliff and Sophia, please deal with the one underground!" Marilyn and her co set out to battle the freaks before they devour them. Cliff and Sophia heads to where the tentacles are gathering with full speed while Marilyn and Alvin glance at each other, complimenting their agreement to end the battle as quick as they could.

Activating her accelerator, Marilyn goes into high-speed mode and takes out her sword before piercing it right to the wolf's head. The wolf wails and reacts by shaking his head to pull the sword out of him. The swordswoman pulls out her sword, however it is only a prelude to another attack because she quickly delivers a powerful slash to the monster's neck, splattering its blood all over the ground. But perhaps because the monster's flesh is thick, Marilyn didn't behead it in one single blow. Alvin arrives before the monster spot him and performs an Axe kick by rising a foot upward as in a crescent kick before stopping and then the attacking foot is lowered so as to strike the target from above, hitting its neck again with a powerful strike. The monster screams again before attempting to bite Alvin, but his doing is cut short by an interference from Marilyn who slices three talons on its face. The two garrisons don't give the monster any chance to strike back at all; in a quick succession, Alvin uppercuts its jaw after Marilyn stabs its head. The baskar native throws a Calf Kick to bring the monster down to the ground and holds him there, allowing the Spider Lily to pierces its stomach with full power. The monster reacts by letting out another scream but Alvin stomps at it several times to keep it down. Finishing their deed in the desert, Marilyn leaps to the mid-air and, still airborne, she lands to the ground by aiming her Iskander Bey at the right target; viciously piercing the monster through its head to the ground below, killing it in an instant second. Slowly pulling out her sword, both she and Alvin observe the monster to see if it's really dead. And it appears that they have successfully defeated the monster. Their teamwork proved too much for the wolf monster to handle. And Marilyn's last attack, The Flying Spider, was more than enough to cease the monster from its existence.

Now, on to Cliff and Sophia. The two didn't need a long time to find the real culprit owning the tentacles. Trailing the road down to the underground from where the tentacles are moving, they find an oversized shapeless blob of flesh, spikes, and tentacles with a razor sharp mouth lying quietly with his tentacles jogging everywhere. "The monster is uglier than I thought…" Cliff withdraws his Dreadnaught, "The tentacles are from his below part of his body…so I guess we should blow him up to bits from the above"

"How are we going to do that?" Sophia is ready with her Silvia, but still can use some help before the monster notices them.

"We're going to blow his inside with this" Cliff shows three RKG-3 grenades, "These are all I have now. Dreadnaught won't be enough to blow him up from inside, so we'll use these boys to inflict some fatal damages on him. When he's weakened, we'll bombard him for good"

"Alright, you're going to make a hole on him?"

"Yes, that's why I need you to cover me" Cliff rushes to the front of the monster and shoots it with his ARMs, pierces many layers of its flesh and wakes it up. The monster gives a reaction by throwing four tentacles at Cliff, but Sophia takes a precautionary measure by firing all four tentacles in rapid succession. She didn't even need to use her emission magic. Cliff takes this chance to leap and land in above the monster's body, quickly observing the monster to find a perfect point to shoot. The monster moves his tentacles, this time 10 of them, to grab Cliff and throw him off. However, Sophia interrupts him again by using her emission magic and blasts six of the tentacles; she has to stop because she needs to reload. Cliff aids her by destroying the remaining four tentacles, using his Dreadnaught with the usual one shot one kill. Losing 10 tentacles, the monster starts to lose its cool and moves uncontrollably. Too bad for him, Cliff already gets a good spot in the center of the monster's top and shoots him, blasting a hole in him. Although the monster shakes its body even more, Cliff doesn't lose his balance and shoots him again right beside the previous spot, now making a hole big enough for his grenades to enter. Successively, Cliff forces his three grenades to pile up inside the hole. When all three grenades have been inside, the ARMs wielder takes a good aim and blasts the grenades as he finishes the monster off, "You're history"

KHIIIIIIIIIIIIING!!!!

After the air-piercing sound gongs in the underground, a huge explosion follows from inside the monster's body. Pieces of fleshes and blood get thrown around in every direction possible. The monster escapes one last roar before succumbing to his eternal rest as its body slowly deteriorates on the ground below it.

"Cool!" Sophia cheerfully posts a comment for Cliff's effort, "That was really classy!"

"Thanks, but I couldn't have done it so easily without your help. So I guess I should be saying thank you to you" Cliff shows a good sportsmanship by giving Sophia a high five. That's teamwork for you. And as the sun sets to its resting moment, the night greets Filgaia again. Closing today's adventure with another victory for the Four Garrison.

_********_

That night, the four drifters camped in the desert because they didn't feel like going back to Humprey's Peak. They would rather discuss their today's finding after enjoying the dinner in the desert. Apparently, Sophia is busy writing her journal so that leaves the three other garrisons to do the deed. The three are sitting near a bonfire they used to cook beside two tents. One for the boys and one for the girls.

"Wow, you guys got lots of info about ARMs here" Alvin checks the paper files from the folder they obtained earlier, "So, World Union is indeed researching for ARMs despite their hate for it. I wonder why"

"Because they are a two-faced organization who gives their shit only for their own good" Marilyn, who harbors a deep hatred for WU, easily explains the most possible reason for it, "You want some prove? Try the WU deserters we met not too long ago. All they could care was their stomachs and their peckers. They have to be one of the greatest examples of lowlifes in existence. Not to mention they were all cowards"

"And I got to see some familiar names in here" Cliff chuckles while pointing at the paper containing the info of the ARMs wield by The Six Arcadius, the six leaders of WU's nemesis, The Society, "How nostalgic"

"Either way, we need to find someone to translate these papers about the guardians. I couldn't read it even if my life is at stake" Marilyn twirls some of the papers about the guardians none of them could read.

"I think my mother could read it" Alvin proposes a new plan, "But, she's in Baskar Colony. So, we should go there if we want a translation"

"OK, we'll go there after we visit The Gunner's Heaven" Marilyn comes up with the final decision, "Anyone objects?"

"Nay" The two men don't have an objection. Not trying to disrespect Sophia, but since she doesn't even realize what's going on maybe she wouldn't even know how to answer.

"OK, let's call it a day" Marilyn closes the forum for now and heads back to her tent, but Cliff stops her before she does so.

"Wait, didn't you forget something?!" The question doesn't catch Marilyn's knowledge.

"What thing?"

"Our bet…" Now, that does recall something, "I lost. The big cheese wasn't there at all"

Unsurprisingly, this scene catches Alvin's attention. With big grin on his face, he observes the two quietly.

Marilyn actually put some thoughts on this matter. Nothing would make her feel victorious than making Cliff looks like her underling for a week, but what Sophia and Alvin said at the inn surely worries her. Why? That's beyond her.

"Forget about the bet" Her respond stammers both Cliff and Alvin who's been hearing, "Let's not touch this subject again. Forget about it, you don't have to call me anything"

"Oh…" Cliff is in lost words, "_Marilyn Westerfield? Throwing away her victory? Will the world turn upside down?!"_

"You have anything else to ask?" Cliff is cut off from his wondering by Marilyn's question. Seeing the red eyed man shakes his head, Marilyn dryly calls it a day again, "Good, then I can go to sleep now. Good night, everyone"

"Good night…" Cliff still cannot believe what he just heard, "Oh, Lord…I'm in lost words…"

"That's how chick goes, Cliff" Currently in the same status of shock as Cliff, Alvin pats his friend's back to calm him down, "It's always hard to understand them"

Inside her tent, Marilyn straightly hits the bed and sleeps. Sophia only takes a quick glance at the silver haired girl before finishing her journal by writing:

"_Today, Marilyn asked Cliff to be her husband. But due to an unknown reason, she canceled the wedding which shocked Cliff. Oh, well…I hope things go well for both of them"_

_********_

_The next morning, in Humprey's Peak…_

After packing their thing, The four Garrison heads to Gunner's Heaven with their jeep right away. It's nine o'clock in the morning and the people of Filgaia are ready to live another day. In the inn Cliff and co visited yesterday, two figures, a man and a woman, show up and approach the innkeeper. They are dressed in a simple white/gray formal suit with a 'WU' insignia written on their back.

"Good morning, mam" The woman greets the innkeeper, "I'm a peacemaker agent from World Union. Do you mind if I ask you some questions?"

"No…" The innkeeper doesn't have anything else to say once the woman shows her official WU id card.

"Do you happen to see these drifters? We received an information yesterday saying they are spotted in this town" The woman shows the picture of Cliff, Marilyn, Alvin, and Sophia.

Quickly the recognizes The Four Garrison, the innkeeper answers, "Yes…yesterday they had a lunch here"

"Do you happen to know where were they going?"

"The mentioned something about Leyline Observatory, but I don't really understand"

"I see, that's about enough" The woman excuses herself, "Thank you for your cooperation. Good day, mam"

Before giving the innkeeper any chance to say anything, the two WU agents leave the inn and heads to their car parked outside.

"They were here yesterday" The woman informs the man, "We're we on the right track"

"Good" The man replies, "Because I cannot wait to have my hands on their neck"

_********_

**Well, that's it for this chappy. Hope u can enjoy it. C u next time!!!**


	5. Ghostbuster

**Chapter 5**

"_**A ghost is someone who hasn't made it - in other words, who died, and they don't know they're dead. So they keep walking around and thinking that you're inhabiting their - let's say, their domain. So they're aggravated with you"**_

_**Sylvia Browne**_

**Credit goes to Gigih Perwira for the big help. The hall in this chapter is based on Samlesbury Hall.**

"Ow, I'm hungry! Tell me we will see a town soon!" Another evening protest from a certain red eyed man inside a certain jeep; one day after leaving Leyline the group hasn't found any place worthy of visiting so…here goes the rant.

"Hungry or sleepy? Make up your mind!" Marilyn, annoyed, delivers a quick and caring respond, "Five minutes ago you said you feel tired and you want to sleep, and just now you said you want to eat! Pick one; don't annoy us with your rants! You're not the only who feels the need to fill your stomach or enjoying a comfy bed!"

"Oh…great…" Alvin mutters to himself, quietly so no one disturbs him from driving, "Here comes another lovey-dovey battle…"

"What's the difference? We still need to stop in a town!" Cliff carries the battle wholeheartedly, "How come we forgot to collect foods in Leyline, anyway?"

"Maybe the fact that Leyline Observatory was massacred and got destroyed into pieces by two monsters would explain why we didn't get to collect any foods…" Sophia dryly joins the war, "Not to mention we didn't spot wolves to be roasted…"

"What?" Cliff and Marilyn pause, because Sophia remembering things is rarer than a chicken's teeth, "You remember that much, Sophia?"

"What? Remember what?" Too bad, she's gone back to her normal self.

"Ah…forget it…" The two lets out a disappointed sigh. Somewhat the current atmosphere is dull.

"Guys, this is just our luck" Alvin enlightens his nearly collapsed friends, "It's a town!"

"Where?" Cliff & Marilyn shout in unison before rushing to see where Alvin is pointing. Not far from them, around ninety feet away, there's a old western styled town and they could see people wandering inside it. That means, there are living persons in the town. They are saved, "Finally!"

Telling Alvin to drive as fast as possible, the group reaches the town in less than five minutes. First thing they do once they step their legs inside the town is finding an inn before literally assaulting the restaurant to fulfill their stomachs (much to the shock of the innkeeper). After the massacre…I mean, the dinner, the four quietly sits to let their body digest the nutrition.

"Man, does it feel good to eat that meat" Alvin gets the first chance to express his gratitude, "Thanks God we found this town"

"I'm not one to usually praise foods, but I got to second that" Marilyn rightfully agrees, "The steak was the best part"

"Indeed, the steak was awesome!" Cliff gently praises the food he just ate, "I feel like having a lot of energy to sleep!"

"What?" The 'sleep' word catches Marilyn's curiosity, "You actually need energy to sleep?"

"Sure" Cliff rises from his seat and heads to the receptionist, "Now, if you don't mind I would like to book a room so I can call it a day"

But, of course Marilyn takes offense to that, "Hey, wait! This is still 5.30 pm! You cannot just sleep! At least do something worthy for us!"

"What? What thing?"

"Treasure hunting!" As usual, realistic ways of things, "Let's go finding something worthy around this town before we call it a day!"

"Ow, but I want to sleep!" And as usual too, the lankily sleepy man.

"Silence! There are four of us here, so we should vote!" That's reasonable, "All in favor for treasure hunting raise your hand!"

Bad for Cliff, he sees his three other comrades raising their hand so the deed is pretty much sealed.

"Alrighty, then!" Marilyn pats Cliff's back so he doesn't feel to sad, "Don't worry, better luck next time"

"Pfft!" Alvin chuckles seeing the two; it seems to him observing the soulmates is a noteworthy feat for his own fun and amusement, "Okay, so where are we going to hunt some treasures?"

"Well, let's ask the people in this town if there's any famous spot nearby" Marilyn calls for the innkeeper and asks him, "Sir, do you know any famous adventuring spot around this town? A little map guidance would do us lots of favors"

"Yeah, lady. Actually, there is one spot" The innkeeper begins his story, "You see, there's an old medieval manor hall in the suburban area of this town called Buryles Hall, which was built around 500 years before The Genesis War. The original hall was built with its solar end windows facing east, as was the practice. When the chapel was constructed 140 years later, it too was built to face east. However, when the chapel was connected to the main hall a further 60 years later, the angle of connection was less than 90° because of the solstice change in the sun's position over the years. The chapel was originally built by a noble family; in order to upgrade the house to a manor house several parts of it have been upgraded. But, a legend has it that one night; one of the sons of the noble family was killed by one of his servants in a gruesome manner. Eventually, the family left the hall without bringing most of their wealth and then the hall became abandoned. And it seems that so many people have spotted the sight of the ghost of the murdered son inside the hall. Nowadays, no one really wants to go near the hall"

"Wow, sounds cool!" Marilyn seems to fine the ghost not dangerous, "Okay, let's go there!"

"Hey, he says the place is haunted, right?" Sophia, however, quickly questions the decision, "Wouldn't that be dangerous?"

"Come on, sis! You still believe in ghost at this day and age?" Marilyn confidently responds, "There's no such thing as ghost! That's just a make up belief!"

"Yeah, if any ghost shows up I would just kick him in the face" Alvin adds.

"Or shoot him" Cliff finishes, although not in a lively tone as he's sleepy.

Anyway, the group makes their way to the haunted house and it is just as eerie as anyone could imagine. Steeped in shadow, darkness echoed and folded inside itself until sunlight was absorbed completely, and the trees, large mammoths of green foliage bunched over, bent and stopped, pouring more exhaunerating shadows across the hallows of what used to be the most prestigious house in the town. Dead trees with branches, long and spindly, waved in the air, veining like capillaries; the bark flaked off in spots, diseased with a forging moss that stewed for years and ate its way into the tree's innards, killing from the inside out. Brown crispy leaves littered the yard and danced macabre on light feet, and they smelled of fungus and autumnal-moisture, waiting for a sunlight to dry up its ravaged and rotted being. To sum it up, the house is living up to its reputation.

Alvin: This place is as eerie as any place could get.

Cliff: I second that.

Sophia: I wonder if a ghost would really come out.

Cliff: Maybe the ghost would…I mean, the sky is getting darker as we speak. It's almost nighttime; I don't see why the ghost wouldn't come out.

Alvin: Either way, I'm curious where the treasures would have been left.

Cliff: We should ask Marilyn for that. Right, Marilyn?

Marilyn: …eh? Oh, yeah. Yes…

Cliff: Hey, what's wrong? You look pale.

Alvin: You don't feel well?

Marilyn: No, no! Not at all! I was just….I mean, just forget about it, okay? Thanks for noticing but I'm fine, really.

Cliff: Well, if u say so.

Alvin: Guys…where is Sophia?

"Huh?" The other quickly notices Sophia is nowhere to be seen. When they were busy giving their attention at Marilyn, Sophia has wandered somewhere they don't know, "She…where the hell is she?"

"This is bad! That air-head could be anywhere inside the hall!" Alvin rubs the back of his head, "What if she meets the ghost? The ghost would swallow her!'

"We need to find her real quick!" Cliff draws his Dreadnaught, "Let's go guys!"

The two boys dash, but Marilyn stays. Of course this gets the boys' attention just fine.

"Marilyn? What are you doing there? Come on!" Cliff calls for the swordswoman but Marilyn doesn't seem so eager to move. Cliff looks at Alvin; both don't understand what the hell is going on with the girls. Perhaps coming to the hall is a bad idea after all.

"I think…I'll guard the entrance" Marilyn slowly unsheathes her sword much to the surprise of the boys, "You two can get inside and search for Sophia"

"Hey, it doesn't work that way, okay? You pitched the idea to find a treasure here and now you're just going to wait here?" Alvin feels somewhat annoyed by the girls today, "Why would you want to guard this place alone anyway? What if the ghost shows up here?"

"No, no! He won't show up here!" Marilyn dispatches the possibility in a rather careless attempt, "Look…I apologize for making the both of you coming here, but I'll stay. So, please if you guys don't mind…find Sophia"

Alvin looks at Cliff before shrugging his shoulder. It cannot be helped. And then, the two goes inside to find Sophia. Outside, Marilyn is left wondering for herself, "_I'm sorry guys, but I really cannot enter! I never thought the place would be this creepy! It brings back bad memories!"_

Around five years ago, when she was still living with the man she loves, Marilyn went to a carnival in Little Twister. There, she entered a haunted house alone after trying out several games alongside her man. Before the attraction even finished, she ran outside while freaking out for the first time ever on her life because she was afraid seeing the ghosts. And it also turned out that somewhat, she hates dark places. Of course, she doesn't allow anyone but her man to know this secret. So, she did her best covering herself. Although, maybe it would cost her a lot.

"_Don't worry, Marilyn. Next time, if a real ghost comes out, I'll protect you"_

The words he used to calm her down and ease her fear from that time are echoing on her ear. "Oh, Lord Green…if only you were here I wouldn't be scared like this" Marilyn mutters to herself, "Where are you? How are you doing? Why did you leave me? I miss you, you know…"

Time passed, but no sign of either one of the three coming out. The darkness starts covering the sky, and Marilyn is getting more nervous as time slowly goes for her, "_Where are they? What are they doing inside? It's almost 45 minutes...tsk, I shouldn't have chosen to be left here alone!_"

And that's when suddenly the swordswoman hears a creaking sound from the floor inside, near the entrance. Marilyn prepares a stance out of shock and tries to find who is causing the creaking sound, but she sees no one. "Who's that?" Marilyn shouts, trying to calm herself while telling to her mind that isn't a ghost, "If you want a piece of me, why don't you come out?"

Of course, no one comes out. And this freaks her out, "_No, no, no, no! That cannot be a ghost! Such thing like a ghost doesn't exist! That cannot be a ghost…I repeat, that cannot be a ghost!_"

But another creak ensures Marilyn she isn't alone, and she doesn't want to stay on the entrance. Without even activating her Accelerator, she runs inside the hall and stops in what seems to be a living room. It is so full of dusts and spider webs, spare the darkness. "Alvin! Cliff!" Marilyn calls for the boys but none of them answers, "Where are you guys?"

Having no voice replying hers, she could feel somewhat her spine is chilling, as if someone is trying to get her attention from behind. Marilyn waves her Iskander Bey around, trying to fend off anything that attempts to harm her. But she sees no one and she doesn't feel anyone's presence around her. And there is only one thing in this world you cannot see or feel…ghost.

"Wuaaaaaaaaah! Somebody help me!" Marilyn loses her cool and runs to one of the corridors, not wanting to see any ghost if one does come out. She keeps running inside the corridor without even caring or realizing she is heading to the darkest part of the hall. Trying to catch her breath, she stops while panting before looking over her shoulder to ensure no one is coming at her. Indeed, no one does.

"Oh...thank God…" Just a moment after she feels grateful, she sees a white silhouette passes by, around fifteen feet from her point, "Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! Ghost!"

Marilyn heads back to her previous direction and runs as fast as she could, she doesn't care if Cliff laughs at her or Alvin teases her after this, she just doesn't want to see a ghost. After running for quite awhile, she stops again to catch some air. This time, she hears someone approaching her from behind, "_Who's that? The ghost? No, no, no! Please don't come here! What do you want from me? I didn't do anything to you! Why don't you chase Cliff? He said he would shoot you if you come out!_ _He hates you more than me! Chase Cliff, not me!"_

Too bad, it seems the ghost won't do her a favor because the ghost keeps approaching her and…pats her shoulder from behind. "Aaaaaaah! Don't touch me!" Marilyn, out of fear, swings her sword and hits the ghost right on his neck, knocking it down to the floor, "Don't come near me you gho…Cliff?"

"What did I do to deserve your wrath, Marilyn? I'm not a ghost!" The hit didn't actually hurt, but it annoys Cliff just fine, "And what are you doing inside? Didn't you say you would wait outside?"

"But…the ghost appeared outside! I decided to get in to avoid him but it seems that…" With a slight of embarrassment, Marilyn explains, "He…is following me here"

Cliff frowns before rising up, feeling something is wrong with his soulmate, "And that comes from someone who told Sophia there wouldn't be a ghost at this day and age? Nice"

"Hey, this isn't the right time to be so sarcastic, okay? I really saw a ghost! You think I would be lying?"

"No, I know you're not a liar. But, I thought you would be braver than you are now" Cliff honestly replies, "I thought if a ghost shows up in front of your nose, you would give him the taste of your Guillotine. You freaking out isn't one of my predictions, and I'm being honest"

"Well, that's…" If only Cliff pays more attention to Marilyn's face, he would see a tiny blush. Too bad he doesn't, "I…I just…"

"Wait, don't tell me…" With an amused look, Cliff throws a wild guess, "You're afraid of ghost?"

"No, I'm not! I'm not afraid of ghost!" And Cliff hits the bulls-eye, "Don't you ever say that again! I'm not afraid of ghost!"

"So…you're not afraid of that thing behind you?"

"Wuaaaaaaah! What thing?" Marilyn freaks out again before swaying her sword to her behind, only to see nothing. Cliff tricked her perfectly.

"Wuahahahahahaha! You're really afraid of ghost!" Cliff bursts out laughing, "I cannot believe this! Marilyn Westerfield, the fearsome Spider Lily, is afraid of ghost! Wuahahahaha!"

"Why you!" Bad move, cause Marilyn is mad at the ARMs wielder now. Her face is red not only because she feels embarrassed but also because of the anger, "How dare you trick me like that! I'm going to kill you!"

Seeing the silver haired girl raising her sword, Cliff gets taken aback, "Marilyn, wait! I was just kidding!"

"And that's going to cost you dearly!"

"Please, wait! I didn't mean it! I won't tell anyone!" Cliff worried face turns questioned, "Hey…what's that thing behind you?"

"You think I'm going to buy that?"

"No! There really is something behind you!" Cliff tries his best to make Marilyn believes him; well, he shouldn't trick her earlier, "There's a white thing coming at us from your behind! I swear of God!"

Marilyn glances and…indeed, there is a white she saw earlier coming at them, "Aaaaaaaaah! Ghost!"

Marilyn attempts to run away again, but she forgets Cliff is standing near her. She runs into him and causes both of them to fall to the floor. Thanks to old age, the floor crumbles and both soulmates fall deep to the underground.

The landing isn't too nice, at least for Cliff. As for Marilyn, well she lands on something not really hard but not really soft either, more like a meat. When the two realizes, Marilyn is lying on top of Cliff who is lying on the ground.

"What? What are you doing there?" Marilyn reacts, "Are you trying to do something indecent? Get away, Cliff!"

"No, you get away from me! What are you doing on top of me?" Cliff steams, "And where are we, by the way?"

After the two separates, they try to look for a clue on where they are. "I think we're on the deepest underground level of the hall…" Marilyn deciphers the mystery rather quick, "See? The hole where we feel seems so high from here"

"And it doesn't look like we can climb up either" Cliff sighs, "I guess we will have to wait for either Alvin or Sophia to help us"

"What? Can't we find our way out of here?"

"Unlikely" Cliff points out to the only direction they got. It seems the underground level used to be a large storage. On their right is a brick wall which seems to lead to nowhere whereas on their left they see an endless tunnel of darkness, "Unless we have something as a source of light, I don't recommend any of us going there inside the darkness. And seeing how fragile this entire building this, I believe any means of force would crumble it and bury us here"

"So…what do we do now?" Marilyn sounds as if she wants a hope. She doesn't like dark places anyway.

"We sit and wait; what else?" Cliff leans on the wall before comfortably sitting down, "Don't worry, Alvin must have heard you screaming earlier. He will find us and help us"

"You…always feel calm at times like this…" Marilyn sits right beside the red eyed man, "That's a good part of you"

"Thanks, but it's not like anything would change if I freak out anyway. So, I prefer to remain calm and tranquil" Cliff gazes at his comrade, "How about you? Are you hurt? You bleed somewhere?"

"No, I don't think so" Marilyn slowly shakes her head, "I'm not injured at all…but I guess I don't have to ask how about you, huh? With a body like that falling from fifty feet high wouldn't even cut you"

"Right" Cliff escapes a friendly chuckle, "At least we both are okay. That's good"

For a moment, silence casts its magic on the two and their surrounding. No voices, no moves, not even a single thing is wavering. Although Cliff frankly doesn't feel anything at the moment, it's the other way around with Marilyn. She feels uncomfortable not having anything to ease her mind while she's being afraid. She wants to break the ice, but she doesn't know how.

"I hope Gunner's Heaven would benefit us" Cliff speaks up, breaking the ice, "That place got one hell of a bad reputation for the illegal fights, I hope we won't run into some unnecessary problems"

"Like?"

"The Peacemakers" Cliff puts a serious tone on his answer, "Around ten minutes before we met upstairs, the PDA I took happen to catch a signal and new info. It seems that World Union has sent two Peacemakers from division VI, Gomez Delphic and Brooke Serf, to take care of The Four Garrison…us. We knew Gunner's Heaven is filled with shed loads of powerful drifters, if we happen to see one and two Peacemakers at the same time we really need to work our ass off"

"Well, hopefully we can count on your durability if that really happens" Marilyn forms a little encouraging smile for the red haired man, who nods to answer the smile.

"Nice, giving the proper time and space at least I can take down a Peacemaker" Cliff mirthfully welcomes the praise. Seeing the ice breaking attempt is successful, Cliff reveals his true intention, "So, are you feeling better now?"

"Huh?" Marilyn doesn't seem to get his point.

"I mean, you're not scared anymore?" Now, the point is clearer, "Ever since we fell here, it seems to me that you've been afraid of something I don't know. And…I think I might loosen up the grip a little, so I picked the issue of the PDA and stuff"

"Oh…" Marilyn widens both her eyes. She doesn't like to admit this, but what the hell, "So you realized it after all?'

"Betcha" The ARMs wielder nods, "Cannot hide it from me, sister. It was written all over your face. Thank goodness it's gone now, you look better like that"

Although that's not a romantic way to put it, Marilyn feels like a burden has been lifted. Cliff's right, she doesn't feel afraid anymore. "You know…I think in a way or another you're the bastardized version of Lord Green"

"Aww…is that supposed to be a compliment?" Cliff never gets tired of Marilyn's antics, especially about her love.

"Tell me about it" Marilyn responds with style, "Although he put in a more romantic way to calm me down"

"By saying?"

"By saying '_Don't worry, Marilyn. Next time, if a real ghost comes out, I'll protect you'"_Marilyn sounds happy recalling it back, "Yeah, like that"

"I can do the same to you, but only with jokes"

"What jokes?"

"Ghost jokes, Marilyn. You know, just to lighten up the mood more"

"Fine with me"

"A widow live in a an apartment and someone calls her phone and says, "I am the viper, I'll be up in an hour." she jut thinks it is a prank but then fifteen minutes later the same person call and says, "It's the viper, I'll be there soon." so she calls the police and then the door bell rings five minutes later and she says, "thank god the police are finally here!" But it is a man with a sponge and a bucket of water. He says,"I am the viper. I vish to vash and vipe the vindows!"

"Ha! That's pretty funny" See? Marilyn is entertained, "Have another one?"

"Once there was this beautiful flower lady who died of an illness at this very hospital. That night, a security guard was doing his rounding on the second level. . on a distant, he heard a faint sound. . .

psst. .

he could smell a faint aroma of the lavender. . he remembered about the flower lady who had died on this level. The ward was somewhere twards the end of the hall but he brush away the thought of ghost and such. .he continued walking. .

psst!

the sound gotten stronger and the smell of the lavender grew heavier. .  
feeling a bit scared, he decided to walk faster. .

psst!

this time the hissing get more louder and the aroma get even more heavier. The guard felt like he was getting near to something or even. . somebody. . .he look ahead. . then he realise he was getting near the ward where the flower lady died. . . he keep on walking

psST!

he sense something was wrong as he approached the ward. . he began praying as he walk trying to ignore the ghostly thought. .

and soon as he stand infront of the ward. .

PSST!

He heard that the sound was just above him and the smell was so strong. .

he look up. .

slowly. . .

slowly. . .

and. . .  
(ready?)

damn it! stupid air refresher!"

"Wow! Alright! That's a funny one too!"

"Okay here's the last one! A young girl alone at home, the phone rings, she answers 'who is it?'.. 'the man with the bloody fingers 5 doors away', the man in the other end of the line says. She screams and hangs up. But it rings again...'who is it ?' ...'the man with the bloody fingers 4 doors away', it says. she screams again... it goes on and eventually the doorbell rings …shaking, she opens it... there is a tall menacing man n the doorstep, he lifts a bloody hand and says...  
'excuse me , do you have a plaster for my bleeding finger?"

"Woooo! Cool! I like it! Not romantic like Lord Green, but I like it" Marilyn had a good time.

"Hee…you always seem different when it comes to Lord Green, eh?" Cliff carries the conversation on, "It's like…you're filled with joy whenever you speak of him"

"The beauty of love, Cliff. Only those who have fallen for someone deeply would understand what I'm saying" Marilyn pokes her fellow Garrison, "I'm telling you the truth. You have to wait till the day you feel like you love someone"

"And I suppose that day isn't going to come for me soon…or is it?

"God only knows" Not an encouraging reply, but true, "But, trust me. You'll find your right person"

"Yeah, the person I can share my dream, whatever it might be, with" Cliff makes the same face like Marilyn did just a minute ago.

It sounds so distant after the last time she heard that, so Marilyn feels like saying something, "You know, Cliff…about your dre…"

CREK!

Too bad the atmosphere is ruined by the sound of someone stepping towards them. Cliff quickly rises and pulls out his Dreadnaught while Marilyn, out of desperation, hides behind Cliff in a quick pace. It's the white thing again! Cliff slowly takes aim to blast the ghost once and for all, but before he could do so…the white thing covering the ghost falls to the ground and reveals the ghost's true face.

"Sophia?" Cliff yells, "What the hell? It was you after all?"

"Eh?" Sophia seems confused, "It was me? What are you talking about? It was Marilyn who has been cruelly avoiding me!"

Actually, when the guys were busy asking Marilyn on the entrance, Sophia entered the hall alone. She wandered off and ran into one of the old curtains which feel and draped over her, turning her somewhat looks like a ghost. That's when she got confused and ran everywhere in the hall…twice in front of Marilyn.

"She wasn't avoiding you! She was shocked by your appearance!" Cliff defends the swordswoman in a rare occasion, "Hell, I was shocked too when I first saw you so I wouldn't really blame her though"

"Ow…sorry" Sophia apologizes after 'kind of' realizing her mistake, "I didn't realize I was draped under a curtain"

"Good" Cliff withdraws his ARMs. Everything seems settled right now.

"Ow, we left you for an hour and you two are already lovers? Get a room, guys!" Alvin shouts from above the hole. He brings a rope and several jewelries with him, "I found the treasures! It's four boxes of jewelries! But, I think the scene I'm viewing right now is waaaaay more priceless!"

"What scene?" Cliff doesn't get it.

"Look behind you, Romeo!" Alvin points to Cliff's back, "Juliet's waiting for you!"

Cliff turns over his shoulder while Sophia takes a glance. What they see is Marilyn holding to Cliff from behind with both her eyes closed. And it doesn't seem she will let go of it anytime soon.

"Goodness, you don't realize it at all?" Alvin cannot believe he would say this, "Damn you, Cliff! Now, will you wake her up from her nightmare and give her a kiss or let her hug you till the end of time? I say, why don't you do both!"

"Marilyn, Marilyn" Cliff ignores Alvin and pats the swordswoman's head, "It's over, girl. Sophia's the ghost, we all mistook her"

"It's…over?" Marilyn raises her head. She looks like she's about to cry.

"Yeah, it's over" Cliff calms her down, "Let's go back, okay? Alvin found the treasures"

"Yeah, and it's called love" Alvin says to himself before throwing the rope down. It doesn't take long for them to get outside the hall and stops at the entrance.

"Well, our journey today was great. We found the treasures" Alvin informs Cliff and Marilyn who don't really pay attention to his words, "Hey…where is Sophia?"

"What?" Cliff shouts, "Not again!"

Thank God, Sophia quickly comes out, but by dragging someone with her from inside, "Guys! I made a new friend!"

"New friend?"

"Yes" She pulls out her new friend, a man with knives sticking from inside him from head to toe and blood covering his whole body. Shortly he doesn't look normal, "His name is Jack. He said he was killed here years ago!"

"Aaaaah! Ghooooooost!" And Marilyn's scream pretty much ends the story for tonight, because she and t other two drifters ran like thunder after seeing Jack, leaving Sophia alone.

"What's wrong with them, Jack?"

"I don't know, Sophia. People are always like that whenever they see me. Is it because my look? It's my look isn't it?"

**There! You like the side story? See u next chappy!**


	6. Cool Hand Cliff

**Chapter 6**

"_**Every production of an artist should be the expression of an adventure of his soul"**_

_**William Somerset Maugham**_

**Credit goes to Gigih Perwira again for helping me out…from the last chapter to at least chapter 18 (LOL). Thanks a lot, dude. **

**Anyway, enjoy.**

_Around one day after the last event…_

So, with the ghost buster business over the team cools down and heads to their mutual direction, Gunner's Heaven. And thanks to the 'thing' Sophia stupidly made her friends see, the three are ignoring her inside the jeep.

"Alvin, when do you think we will arrive at the next town?" Poor Sophia; she tries to speak with the driver but Alvin says nothing to her.

So, she turns to Marilyn, "Marilyn, why are everybody silent?"

Of course, no answer. Growling, she desperately speaks to Cliff, "Cliff, everyone is ignoring me!"

Now as we knew him, Cliff is good at heart (at least compared to Alvin and Marilyn) so he doesn't really agree with the plan of ignoring Sophia. His lips begin to move, forming a certain word to respond the dark haired girl. But two deadly glares from both the street fighter and the swordswoman scare the hell out of him….so he chickens out and stays silent, but not without a fight. In a soundless conversation between soulmates, Cliff Speaks to Marilyn,

C: Marilyn, don't you think it's a bit harsh to Sophia?! She didn't mean showing us the ghost!

M: What's the difference? She still scared the hell out of us!! I don't care whether she's extremely forgetful or what, but she needs to be taught a lesson!

C: Well, not a lesson like this! We can always try a different approach!

M: Like what?!

C: Like…like manner lessons!

M: Meh, she will just forget about it! Being ignored would teach her to behave!

C: Come on, don't you pity her at all?! Look at her, she's like a lost dog!

M: She deserves it!

C: You know what?! This whole thing is insane! I'm talking to her!

M: No, you won't!

C: Why?

M: Cause if you do, I'll shove my sword down your throat!! I know it won't kill you, but at least it will stop you from talking!

A: And if it is needed, I'll gladly lend Marilyn a hand.

C: Alvin?! What are you doing here?! How could you enter the soulmate conversation?!

A: Soulmate conversation? What are you talking about? You two have been speaking to each other louder than ever! The entire jeep could hear you!

"Wait, that means…" Cliff, followed by the other two, looks at Sophia who displays a betrayed face plus tears running on her face. And then….she explodes.

"Uwaaaaaaaaaaaah!!! Everyone is ignoring me on purpose!!!" And that's it, Sophia wails like a baby losing her candy. Marilyn and Cliff, knowing this would take a long ass time, cover both their ears while Alvin is forced to endure the wail thanks to his job as the driver. The group arrives at a quite mining town after fifteen minutes, and more or less Sophia has stopped bawling right now. She sniffs a bit though.

But just like a child, she sleeps soundly five minutes after her bawling.

C: Is she asleep?

M: Let's not wake her up. We're better off without her lameness. When she wakes up by herself, she should have forgotten our plan.

A: OK, let's do that.

Either way, the town looks more like a ghost town. No one walks around the town, and the buildings are scarred. "Don't tell me we just bumped into a ghost town" Cliff is the first to speak his mind upon arriving, "After all the ghost and stuff I would really appreciate it even if just one living man shows up here"

"I wouldn't write that off, but I wouldn't want to be fooled twice" Marilyn quickly prepares her sword in case another ghost comes out, "I'm ready"

"No need, Marilyn" Alvin points to behind their jeep, "Look, a living man"

Indeed, there's a middle aged man standing behind their jeep looking at them with such goggled eyes, "You kids…are you drifters?"

"Yes, we are" Alvin replies, "Actually, we're heading to Gunner's Heaven but we decided to stop in this town and found all these. Mind telling us what happened to the town? We're hoping to have some rest but it is seemingly unlikely by now"

"Actually, this town used to be a new mining town inhabited by the miners for a mine around a mile from here" The old man speaks up, "But around two weeks ago, a group of bandits driving an armored vehicle attacked our place and took our fortune. We were left with no money at all so almost all the villagers went back to the old mining town"

"So, why are you still here?"

"The name's Jerome. Originally, I'm the mayor of this town. I have the obligation to look out for this place" The man introduces himself, "I'm not going out of here just because some bandits screwed our place"

"Hey, this calls for a job" Marilyn, just like always, "Say, how much do we get for taking back your belongings from the bandits?"

"…you can do that?" A bit uncertainty, but that's normal.

"Bet you" A short statement, "So?"

"Well…" Jerome sighs, "Make me an offer"

Tilting her head a bit while thinking, the answer is kinda shocking, "One fifth of this town's fortune"

"What?!" Both Jerome and Cliff shout at the same time, "One fifth of this town's fortune?! Are you insane?!"

"Nuh-uh, hear me out" Man, this is a real hot seat, "If you don't hire us, you can live here alone till the day u die cause of poverty. If you hire us, you'll live a bit proper till the day you…die. It's kinda the same in the end, but in a good way"

"Het, Marilyn!" Cliff cusses his soulmate again for this before Jerome could even reply, "One fifth?! Are you out of your mind?! Why that much?! We're not low on money!"

"Here we go again" Marilyn says to herself before explaining, "Yes, it's true we're not low on money, but we gotta capitalize a chance when we could. Who knows what we might have to face in the future? The more cash we got means the easier way for our journey"

"But not that much! At least lower the offer!"

"…fine" Marilyn stares at the bewildered Jerome and says, "One eighth, deal or no deal?"

"Ok, that much we can afford" Jerome answers.

But Marilyn wants to make it sure this time around, "Cliff? Have any other thing to say?"

"No…" Cliff rolls his eye, "That much is fine"

"OK, where are those bandits hiding?" Alvin takes over after the deal is sealed.

"Around half an hour from here to the west" Jerome says, "Good luck"

Simply put, the group drives off from the village to the west where they could visibly see an abandoned warehouse with so many ugly looking men surrounding it.

Alvin picks up a small telescope to spy the bandits from the car, "That's gotta be the bandit's hideout. Let's see…we got six men up front, twelve on the left, ten on right, around five more backsides and perhaps some more inside the warehouse. And it's true, they got an armored vehicle with them"

"Oh, it's LAV III" Cliff recognizes the metal car in one look after Alvin borrows him the scope, "No big deal"

"So, how do we plan on attacking?" Marilyn takes the lead to cover the plan, but she sees Cliff waving his hand, "What is it?"

"Look, there are only about 40 men up there. This ain't a big deal; I'll take care of them all" Cliff voices his plan, "You two can wait here with Sophia, OK? I'll handle them in…say, fifteen minutes?"

And the offer takes Marilyn by surprise, "What? The sleepy Cliff from the sleepy hollow offers himself to do a deed?! Is doomsday coming out early?! This isn't 2012!! Are you serious?!"

"1000%"

"Oh…wow…" Marilyn (in a way) looks impressed, "I'm…I'm speechless…"

Meanwhile, Alvin is calculating the reason behind Cliff's offering by his own way inside his own head, "_This isn't something you would see everyday! Cliff wants to do a job?! What the hell is going on in here?! Wait, wait…now, think calmly and look at it prospectively…why would Cliff Margester do something he usually wouldn't do if he doesn't gain anything from it? Or maybe…oh, I know!! Cliff wants to impress Marilyn!! That's it!! That's gotta be it!! He wants to win her heart!! And he wishes to do it by showing her how cool he is!! Man, I never thought Cliff would be this bold!"_

Actually, Cliff wants to get this over with because he wants to sleep ASAP. But, of course no one notices that. "I say, let him do this!" Alvin gives his support to the red eyed man, "I'm behind you, bro! I know you can do this!!"

"OK, thanks" Cliff kindly replies without knowing Alvin's truest thought, "Just wish me a good luck"

"No worries" Alvin whispers to Cliff's ear, "I know you will win her heart. I'm sure you will impress her?"

"Impress her?" Cliff whispers back, "Impress who?"

"Ow, come on!! Don't act like you don't know, bro!" Even with his total misunderstanding Alvin still sounds so supporting, "Don't worry, she will be yours someday"

"She who?! I don't think we're on the same page!"

"Oh, don't sweat it! Chop-chop, go out there and show them who is the boss!" Alvin pushes the still wondering Cliff outside the jeep. With a confused face, Cliff goes to the warehouse.

Anyway, Cliff quickly heads to the warehouse to deal with the bandits. Some of them are guarding the frontline lankily and lazily. "Make a little mess and they'll all come for me, piece of cake" Cliff draws his Dreadnaught and walks with a confident smile.

The bandits guarding the front quickly notice him walking towards them, "Hey, who is that man?"

"Have no idea, why don't you go check it out?" Another one answers. One of them quickly runs to Cliff who keeps walking slowly.

When he sees Cliff has a gun with him, he stops after pointing his shotgun at The Crimson, "Hey, stop there and throw your weapon"

"What if I refuse?" Cliff doesn't even seem to care.

"I'll blow your head off, that's what!"

"Up yours" Cliff takes a quick aim and blows the bandit's head off in one shot, leaving his body falling to the dirt, "Blowing heads, huh?"

And of course the air-piercing sound alerts the entire base, "Emergency!!! We're under attack!"

"What?! How many people?!"

"Unknown!! But if my eyes don't deceive me…it's one man!!"

"One man?!"

Cliff casually walks to the bandits who are busy preparing their weapons to attack him. Not feeling like wasting any more time, Cliff concentrates to use his Lock On and slowly aims to six men standing twenty feet away from him. Strengthening his grip, Cliff pulls the trigger and blast away one man after hitting his stomach, much to the other bandits fear. Cliff shoots another one on the head which result on the four other bandits run away to the base, more likely to get some more reinforcements.

It doesn't take long for them to come out again with at least a dozen men and LAV III, their armored vehicle. The LAV III is powered by a Caterpillar 3126 Diesel Engine developing 350 horsepower, and can reach speeds of 100 kilometers per hour. The vehicle is equipped with a central tire inflation system, which allows it to adjust to different terrain, including off-road. Unlike earlier versions of the LAV, the LAV III does not have any amphibious capabilities.

The LAV III faces the same concerns that most other wheeled military vehicles face. Like all wheeled armored vehicles, the LAV III's ground pressure is inherently higher than a tracked vehicle with a comparable weight. This is a result of the fact that tires will have less surface area in contact with the ground when compared to a tracked vehicle. Higher ground pressure results in an increased likelihood of sinking into soft terrain such as mud, snow and sand, leading to the vehicle becoming stuck. The lower ground pressure and improved traction offered by tracked vehicles also gives them an advantage over vehicles like the LAV III when it comes to managing slopes, trenches, and other obstacles. The LAV III can somewhat compensate for these effects by deflating its tires slightly, meaning that the surface area in contact with the ground increases, and the ground pressure is slightly lowered.

It should also be noted that wheels offer several advantages over tracked vehicles, including lower maintenance for both the vehicle and road infrastructure, quieter movement for improved stealth, greater speed over good terrain, and higher ground clearance for protection against mines and improvised explosive devices. The LAV III's turret gives the vehicle a higher centre of gravity than the vehicle was initially designed for. This has led to concerns that the vehicle is more likely to roll over on uneven terrain. While there have been several recorded rollovers (about 12), the most common cause was found to be unstable terrain, specifically road shoulders unexpectedly giving away beneath the vehicle. The weight balance of the LAV III is taken into consideration during driver training, largely mitigating the chances of a rollover.

"Oh, LAV II already? How boring" Cliff pulls out his giants shears and runs toward the group. The bandits light him up using their shotguns and rifles, but against The Crimson moving stature the bullets proved totally ineffective. They hit him but are quickly knocked down. And as usual, this causes some confusion among the bandits,

"Hey, the bullets don't work on him!"

"Is he some kind of monster?!"

"Wait, he's coming…gyaaaah!!" The first one, among the many to follow, gets hammered after a smash from the shears. The other bandits fires at Cliff again when the said ARMs wielder grab one of them by his neck and shove the shears to the bandit's mouth, scattering his teethes all over the ground. Swinging his shears behind, Cliff hits another one on the jaw before maiming the one on his left right on the head. Slipping his Dreadnaught from under the shears, Cliff fires one of them to another lifetime by blasting his head. He then proceeds to fire to men on his right at the same time after unleashing his merciless bullet which pierces both men consecutively; and he seems to keep gaining the upper hand as time goes. Realizing his foes are about to run again, Cliff pulls out one of his RKG-3 and throws it at them. Simply put, the explosion swipes a large number of them away; at least thirteen men have been blown away. And here comes the LAV III with seven men inside it. Ten men could be seen marching beside the LAV, preferably as a support attack.

Too bad, they don't know they would not last even a minute. As the LAV starts firing its machine gun to Cliff's direction, Cliff takes initiative to deal with the footers first and jumps to above the LAV. This earns him the attention of the ten men who quickly aim their guns at him without even knowing they're sitting ducks now. At the moment they open fire at him, Cliff simply throws an RKG-3 among them and lets it explode, sweeping the business away from him. And with his position standing on the top of LAV III, there's no way they would be able to fire him from inside. Cliff shoots randomly to make a hole to inside the LAV III before slips an RKG-3 through it, "I'm sorry, it's not that I do not want to play with you longer. But I promised my friends to return in fifteen minutes so I have to deal with you all quickly"

Another explosion that blows the LAV-III from the inside comes up, leaving Cliff walking alone to inside the warehouse. In a quick progress, the LAV III is nothing more than pieces of iron junk right now. From inside the warehouse, the remaining eight bandits cannot help but wonder, is the man attacking them outside a human?

"What is he?! He stopped our LAV and the others like they were nothing!!"

"I say, let's get out of here!!"

"And leave all the money?!"

"Hey, we cannot bring all the money with us!! And what's the use of money if that guy blows your f*cking head off?!"

Before they could continue arguing, Cliff slowly opens the warehouse door much to their fear. Looking around, the red haired man enters and observes the remaining eight, "You guys are the only losers left, huh?"

"Ukh…" None of the losers…I mean, the bandit could come up with a decent respond.

"OK, I'll make this quick. You see that backdoor?" Cliff points to a backdoor on the back of the warehouse and escapes a deliberate sigh, "If you're still here in ten seconds, I'll kill you. All of you"

Needles to say, the remaining bandits run for their lives as Cliff counts, "10"

Cliff fires once and spills the first blood as the count goes to '9'.

The other seven freaks out, but when the count goes to '8' another one of them loses their head in a horrible way, so they realized they need to keep running for their lives. Cliff aims for another target and hits another bulls-eye, counting, "7"

When it reaches six, another torso is blown to pieces, yet none of the bandits have even reached the backdoor. "5" Cliff resumes the countdown and another man loses his head. By now, three bandits are a bit closer to the backdoor. Too bad, they shouldn't have grouped in the front door.

"4" Cliff kills another one after a shot to the head and leaves two men remains. He goes to three and shoots another one, now having a bullet left inside the chamber. But, he doesn't feel like letting the last one go. However, the last bandit is only three feet away from the backdoor. And if he goes out then Cliff must keep the end of his deal. When it goes to two Cliff points his Dreadnaught at his target and takes a deep breath. Both his eyes are locked to the running man as he puts a strong concentration to unleash his Lock On. And it's finally the last count, "You're history"

KHIIIIIING!!!!

And as the last bandit falls headless to the floor, that is the last gunshot heard that day.

_********_

It doesn't take long for Marilyn and Alvin to arrive at the scene. They only got to see dead bodies scattering everywhere, that's all. All they need to do now is finding where the bandits kept their possession.

"Always a neat job" Amidst the search, Marilyn gives an honest praise for Cliff's handwork, "Merciless as ever"

"Thanks" Cliff shortly replies the complementary. Still with his misunderstanding thought, Alvin snorts and goes to Cliff.

"Dude, we need to talk" Alvin whispers to Cliff with an annoyed tone, "You successfully impressed her!! What's with that attitude?!"

"Impressed?! Impressed who?! You've been talking nonsense all day long!!"

"Oh, come on!! Don't give me that crap! You cannot say that! All you need to do is one last shot and bang! She's all yours!"

"…who?"

"Cliff!! Alvin!!" The boys' talk is cut short when Marilyn calls for them, "It's here, I found it!"

The stolen possessions have been kept in a storage room, and there's lot of it. Choppers, gold, silvers, nearly all raw materials you can name. Not to mention the belongings of the villagers. "Wow, that town sure is rich!" Cliff doesn't hold back expressing his surprise, "I wonder how we could bring all these back"

"I have a good idea about that matter" Marilyn speaks up. Her eye is shiny seeing all the wealth, "Let's take all these and run away from here!"

"What?! No!!" Both men refuse, "We're drifters! We're not thieves!!"

"Tsk, you guys are no fun!!"

"It's already decided we would get one eighth of it!"

"Fine, fine!!" The silver haired girl steams but her eye quickly catches a certain thing on the pile, a map. And she picks it, "Hey, what is this?"

"Seems like a map" Alvin glances at it, "The map of a mine"

"Hm, mine around here?! That means only one thing" Marilyn cites, "Gella"

"That means seven eighth part for the villagers is also safe" Cliff doesn't want any weird idea to come up so he sums the work before his soulmate could think of anything weird, "Alvin, help me with all these"

While Marilyn is busy looking at the map and Sophia is still busy sleeping, Alvin and Cliff deal with the villagers and Jerome. They got quite an amount of money, around 450,000 gella. That should cover their needs for months to come. And Alvin also got the info about the map. He informs Marilyn once they got back to the jeep, "That map contains the location of one of the oldest mines in this area, around one and half an hour to the west. And Jerome also mentioned an ARMs smith used to live near the mine"

"Nice! It's decided, then!" Marilyn takes the courtesy to decide their next destination, "Tomorrow we will be treasure hunting in the old mine!!"

"I don't know…is that a good idea?" Alvin sounds concerned, "Although the ARMs smith house got my interest. Honest"

"Let's ask what Cliff and Sophia have to say about this?" The suggestion distributes both drifters attention to the other two drifters, "Guys, what do you have…hey! Cliff is already sleeping!"

"Huh? Wasn't he sitting behind me just now?!" Alvin shakes his head in shock and disbelieve, "These two are helpless…"

"I bet they'll whine if they know we're planning to go to the mine"

"So, what's your suggestion? We wake them up?"

"No, Alvin. That would be a bad idea. They're going to whine all night long. It's 5 pm and I don't want them to whine for the next twelve hours" Marilyn gives a good suggestion, "Just tell them we got a thing to find in the mine and its village tomorrow. They'll buy that at least"

"That's a good idea" Pretty thoughtful, "What do you say we find something to eat before going to sleep?"

"Let's do that" And then the two goes to do what they just agreed.

_********_

The next day, Alvin and Marilyn did just like they agreed. They told Cliff and Sophia the group got something to find in the old mining town. Cliff and Sophia agreed without much protest. Well, it's not like they actually got something to say from inside their head either.

The old mining town looks a lot more abandoned then the current old town. No signs of anything living inside there. More like a ghost town. "So, we're here" Alvin ensures the group's positioning, "Now, where's that ARMs smith house?"

"It could be anywhere in this town" Marilyn speaks up, "I think we should go to the mine first. See? The mining site is in the corner of the town"

"Well, that doesn't sound like a bad idea" Alvin, knowing the easiest should be the number 1 priority, doesn't mind agreeing, "What do you have to say, guys?"

"I could careless as long as we get this over with quickly" Cliff really doesn't sound concerned at all, "I need to go back to sleep"

"I don't know what to say. I don't even remember what are we going to do in this place" Well, what do you expect from Sophia? "So, I'll tag along with any of you"

"OK" The group goes to the mine in the corner of the town, but just twenty meters from the mining site they passed a certain house which door has been opened for a long time. It was more like a cabin than a house. A one storied log cabin with books scattered all over the place. "Hey, that place looks different from the other houses" Alvin quickly goes inside the cabin, "Jackpot!! This is the house of the ARMs smith!"

"What?! How do you know that?" The other follows him quickly thereafter. Inside, not only scattered books by they also find gunsmith materials like tiny saw-teeth used to create v-grooves, some hand gravers to engrave metals, and plastic pistol grips. The tools were what made Alvin believes this place is the ARMs smith house.

"Well, let's look if we can find anything worthy here" Alvin starts searching the scattered books, but the other three doesn't do anything. Instead, they look at each other without understanding much of the Baskar native's intention.

"Guys?" Alvin sounds irritated, "Don't just stand there like a doll!! C'mon, help me find something worthy here!! The two of you are ARMs wielders for God's sake!"

"Well….we are, indeed" Cliff refers to both himself and Sophia, "But, we don't know what book to search. Why don't you give us a follow up?"

"Anything that contains the smith's material research!!"

"Then, don't search down there on the floor" Cliff points to a journal placed on a table not far from the entrance door, "Start from there. Why would an ARMs smith blew his important research material to the floor? Don't you know they usually wrote their daily works in their journal or diary?"

"Really?" Alvin reaches the book in a rapid pace and opens it, learning so many ancient languages plus diagrams inside the journal. And he finds this shocking, "What?! You're right! How do you know all this?"

"Let's say…" Cliff rolls his eyes, "I knew an ARMs smith…once. And ARMs smiths' habit is actually same. You know, like artists"

"Artist, huh?" Alvin shrugs, "Either way, thanks. Now, what are you guys going to do? I think I'll pass the mining site and try to read whatever I can here"

"Sophia and I are still going to the mining site" Marilyn answers, "What about you, Cliff?"

"Ehh….I guess I'll stay here to try finding anything useful"

"Like what? A comfy bed?"

"Yes…no, I mean like books!!" Cliff got caught, huh? "Why would I try to find a comfy bed here?!"

"Fine…suit yourself" Marilyn walks out, "Let's go, Sophia"

The two girls go outside to the mining site, hoping to find something worthy. Cliff wanders around the house while Alvin is busy reading the book…at least the part he could read. In the mining site, Marilyn and Sophia don't need a long time locating the crowbars and helmets. They agree to not going too far from the seam.

After wandering around and find the only bed (Marilyn Was right all along) on the house if filled with spider's web, Cliff returns to the living room and finds Alvin still busy reading.

C: You're still reading Alvin?

A: Yeah, trying to understand what this picture means…

C: (Closing in) where? Where? Oh, that picture that looked like an armor?

A: And another one, several pages from here, that looks like a knuckle.

C: Cool, can I see it?

A: Not now, I'm reading here.

C: What's your plan after finishing the book?

A: Don't know, I'm still reading.

C: Hey, do you think this town still got any bed that is free from spider's web?

A: Maybe…who knows? I'm still reading.

C: Can I read with you?

A: No

C: No? Why not?

A: Because you cannot read the ancient language of Filgaia! Now, can you please stop?!

C: Why?

A: You're annoying!

C: What? Just because I want to read?

A: No, because you couldn't keep your mouth shut!

C: Huh?

"You know what, Cliff?!" Irritated, Alvin drags Cliff out of the cabin before shutting the door, "Why don't you go to the mining site and impress Marilyn some more rather than keep annoying me?!"

And again, Cliff is left confused, "Impress…Marilyn? Does he mean I have to help her?"

_Meanwhile, in the mining site…_

So far, Marilyn and Sophia managed to collect two raw silver bars thanks to their lady-luck. But of course they wish to find something more expensive so they continue digging.

M: (With an annoyed tone) I wonder why those boys are leaving us alone to do this. Weren't women and children banned from working inside a mining site?

S: Huh? Wasn't it your idea to do this work, Marilyn?

M: Yes, but at least the boys should cop up some feel. Instead, Alvin is busy reading while Cliff is busy sleeping! Kay, maybe we can tolerate Alvin because he is doing something useful, but Cliff?! What a joke!

S: Hmm….so, that's how things are going between you and Cliff lately?

"Huh?" Marilyn pauses from her work and raises her eyebrows, "What? What was that again?"

"I said, things aren't going so smoothly between you and Cliff lately, huh?" Sophia repeats like there's nothing wrong with that, "You should ease your way at him. Otherwise, it might ruin your relationship"

"What?! What relationship?!" Marilyn yells out of shock, "What made you say that?"

"You're not in a relationship with him?"

"No!!"

"So, I wrote the wrong thing in my journal?"

"What thing?!"

"I wrote yesterday, 'Cliff and Marilyn are acting like a lovey-dovey couple planning something'. Was that wrong?"

"Totally!! Change that!! We're not a couple!" Marilyn's face is as red as a tomato, "God, your forgetfulness is so annoying!"

"I apologize if it makes you uncomfortable. Nothing can be done with it. But…" Sophia continues the attack of the innocent, "If nothing is really going on between the two of you, your face doesn't need to be so red like that"

"Eh?" It's too late now Marilyn, "What?!"

"True, you've been blushing since you first yelled 'what relationship?!' to me"

"No!! That's…"

"Hm? You're hiding something?" Is it just me or Sophia looks scary at times like these?

"No! I…" When Marilyn is trying to find the right words to defend herself, Cliff pops out from the seam.

"Hey, girls!!" And he surprised a certain someone of course, "How's it hanging?! Want me to help you?"

"Eh?! Cliff?!" Marilyn loses control, "What are you doing here?! Shouldn't you be with Alvin?!"

"Yeah, but he kicked me out. So, I guess I'll help you guys"

"No, no!! We don't need your help!!" Contrary to what she just said awhile ago, the swordswoman refuses, "You can…go sleep wherever you like! We're fine just with the two of us!"

"Eh?" Cliff cannot read the mood at all, "But, I want to help. And your face looks so red. Do you have a fever?"

"I'm not having a fever!" Marilyn pushes him out of the side before her face gets even redder, "Look, I appreciate your offer for help, but we're really fine with just the two of us! Please, just this time, go!"

And Cliff is left out once again. This makes him wonder, "_Why is everyone leaving me out? Do they hate me that much? What did I do to make them mad at me?"_

"Wow…" Sophia, who just witnessed the event, comments, "You hate him that much?"

"No, it was just…" Before she really loses it, Marilyn changes the direction of the conversation, "Look, let's just resume our job, OK? We're running out of time here!"

"OK, suit yourself" Sophia shrugs off and resumes, Marilyn as well.

Cliff, meanwhile, wanders aimlessly still with his confusion, "_Why do they don't want me around them? Do they hate me that much?! And why did Marilyn have to be so cruel?! I only wanted to help her!"_

Before Cliff could continue any further, the wind blows and puts a piece of paper from an old newspaper right to Cliff's face. "What's this?!" The ARMs wielder takes it off his face and angrily looks at it, "It's an old newspaper?! Now even nature toys against m…hey….wait a minute! I know the guy on this picture!"

With that being said, evening greets the land of Filgaia one more time and the group's done with their deed. Marilyn, Alvin, and Sophia meet in front of the cabin. "How's your finding?"

"Not bad, I think with a proper material I can create something from this book. Although I still need my mother to translate the entire book" Alvin sounds quite pleased with his founding, "How about you?"

"Well, we got three bars of silver and this one bar of platinum-like metal which I couldn't recognize" Marilyn points to the bars Sophia carries with her, "By the way, where is Cliff?"

"Huh? He's not with you?"

Sophia gives a quick answer which leads to another misunderstanding, "Actually, he was. But Marilyn dumped him so Cliff left"

"What?! You dumped him?!" And Alvin buys it.

"No, no way I could dump him! We're not even a couple" Denial…(LOL)

"Then, where is he?!"

"I don't know!"

"Why did you dump him in the first place, anyway?!" Alvin keeps up with this.

"Hey, I didn't dump him! I couldn't!! And I asked him to leave because…" Marilyn pauses there. She just realized there was no actual reason other than her own embarrassment for her to dumped…I mean, kicked Cliff out.

"Because?" Alvin gains the upper hand. Marilyn looks like a trapped mouse finding a good reason, but Lady Fortuna sides with her today.

"Uh...guys?" Cliff interrupts the Garrisons from their behind, "Are you going to stand there all night long? I already prepared dinner, namely wolf steak, so why don't we go to our jeep and eat?"

"Eh? You're still here?" Sophia cannot actually believe what she is seeing, "I thought you ran away after Marilyn kicked you out"

"Close, but not close enough" Cliff heads back to the jeep after giving the final call, "So, chop-chop guys. The steak is waiting"

Quietly, the other three follows him. During the dinner, no one actually says anything. Sophia seems out of place like always, Alvin tries to think of something else, Cliff doesn't seem to care about the previous matter, and Marilyn feels guilty but doesn't want to admit. With all the quietness, the dinner ends.

But, a man do what he has to do. So, Cliff speaks up, "Marilyn, can I talk to you for a second? Just the two of us?'

"Can't we talk here?" Marilyn replies. All eyes are on her now.

"Not likely" Cliff points to behind of the jeep and heads there. Marilyn follows there soon after, leaving Sophia and Alvin alone. But, the two agrees they shouldn't interfere with this one.

"Before you say anything, I would like to tell you that I feel bad for kicking you out" Marilyn goes straight with her soulmate, "And I'm sorry for it"

"It's all ok" Cliff pulls out the newspaper from earlier and shows it to Marilyn, "I called you here because you said it when you told me about him…Alvin and Sophia cannot know about this at the moment"

"What is it?"

"Here, read this article" The article on the newspaper reads "A MYSTERIOUS SWORDWSMAN WON THE GUNNER'S HEAVEN TOURNAMENT BY BREAKING A NEW RECORD!" and there's a picture of a certain dark-haired man seen from his behind carrying a silver Flamberge sword, "It's your man, Marilyn! I still remember your description about him so I recognized him in an instant! A tall dark-haired man with a silver Flamberge! Vold Green was there! And this article is from four months ago!"

"Goodness…Lord Green!" Marilyn widens her eye seeing the article, "Wha...Lord Green was there four months ago?!"

"So, it's all set" Cliff resolves, "We go to Gunner's Heaven, find out about WU, and find out about your man"

"Yes, let's do that! Marilyn is so enthusiastic about this, "And…can I keep this article? I mean, it only got his picture from behind but it's better than…"

"Yeah, yeah. Sure, you can have it" Cliff mirthfully replies, "it's your right, buddy"

From afar, Sophia and Alvin could hear the cheers from behind the jeep. "Hehehe, they're all good now" Alvin notes, "Good job, Cliff"

"Indeed" Sophia agrees.

And then, they set off to Gunner's Heaven.

_********_

_The next morning…._

Jerome puts a big smile on his face seeing his town is lively once again thanks to The Four Garrison, "_Those kids did a fine job. Thank you, drifters_"

His attention is soon caught by a man and a woman with grey formal suit greeting him from behind, "Excuse us, sir"

"Oh, yes. Can I help you, miss?"

"Yes, we're from the World Union. Currently, we're looking for these four drifters" The woman shows the picture of The Four Garrison, "Did they happen to stop in this town?'

"Yes, they stopped by here and helped us taking back our stolen belongings from a group of bandit" Jerome finely recalls, "Although they mentioned they're actually heading to Gunner's Heaven, though. Is something wrong with them?"

"No, thanks for your cooperation. We'll take our leave now" The two excuses themselves before heading to their car.

"We should contact Lord Begucci in Gunner's Heaven" The woman speaks of her advice, "And we should prepare the troops as well"

"Fine, just do as you said" The man replies, "It's only a matter of time before we meet them face to face in Gunner's Heaven"

_********_

**That's it for this time. C u next chappy (^^)!!**


	7. Quigley Down Under

**Chapter 7**

"_**Fighting is like champagne. It goes to the heads of cowards as quickly as of heroes. Any fool can be brave on a battlefield when it's be brave or else be killed."**_

_**Margaret Mitchell**_

**The Gunner's Heaven Dome is based on Pantheon & Coliseum.**

Two days after the event on the abandoned mining town, the group finally arrived on the Las Vegas of Filgaia, Gunner's Heaven. Now, Gunner's Heaven is one of the most populous cities in Filgaia. Similar to Las Vegas, the city has numerous casinos resorts and associated entertainment. But of course, the main attraction of the city lies inside the dome in the middle of the city, The Gunner's Heaven Dome which is built like a modern-day Pantheon after being torn during the Genesis War. The building is circular with a portico of three ranks of huge granite Corinthian columns (eight in the first rank and two groups of four behind) under a pediment opening into the rotunda, under a coffered, concrete dome, with a central opening to the sky. The height to the oculus and the diameter of the interior circle are the same, 43.3 meters (142 ft). A rectangular structure links the portico with the rotunda. It is one of the best preserved of all domes, especially with the facilities inside it. And being a hallmark of Gunner's Heaven, it stands out even from the outskirts of the town.

And the Four Garrison has just arrived in the town, a metropolitan filled with crowds, just like any big city would. "So that's the dome?" Alvin is in awe with the building where the supposed 'illegal' tournament is held, "That's huge"

"Usually, the bigger they are the harder they fall" An old saying from Cliff, "But, hey, we're not here to take the dome down…literally"

"So, what do we do now?" Sophia turns to Marilyn, "Go inside that dome and register?"

"I guess…what else is there to do anyway?" Marilyn plays her hand and signal the team to go straight to the dome.

Surprisingly, the dome is rather majestic. The arena itself was 83 meters by 48 meters (272 ft by 157 ft / 280 by 163 Roman feet). It comprised a wooden floor covered by sand (the Latin word for sand is _harena_ or _arena_), covering an elaborate underground structure called the _hypogeum_ (literally meaning "underground"). Little now remains of the original arena floor, but the _hypogeum_ is still clearly visible. It consisted of a two-level subterranean network of tunnels and cages beneath the arena where gladiators and animals were held before contests began. Eighty vertical shafts provided instant access to the arena for caged animals and scenery pieces concealed underneath; larger hinged platforms, called _hegmata_, provided access for elephants and the like. It was restructured on numerous occasions; at least twelve different phases of construction can be seen. The _hypogeum_ was connected by underground tunnels to a number of points outside the dome. Separate tunnels were provided for the owner and some VIP members to permit them to enter and exit the dome without needing to pass through the crowds. Substantial quantities of machinery also existed in the _hypogeum_. Elevators and pulleys raised and lowered scenery and props, as well as lifting caged animals to the surface for release. There is evidence for the existence of major hydraulic mechanism and according to ancient accounts, it was possible to flood the arena rapidly, presumably via a connection to a nearby aqueduct.

The Dome and its activities supported a substantial industry in the area. In addition to the amphitheatre itself, many other buildings nearby were linked to the games. Immediately to the east is the remains of the Ludus Magnus, a training school for the hired fighters. This was connected to the dome by an underground passage, to allow easy access for the participants. The _Ludus Magnus_ had its own miniature training arena, which was itself a popular attraction for Gunner's Heaven spectators. Other training schools were in the same area, including the _Ludus Matutinus_ (Morning School), where monster fighters were trained, plus the Dacian and Gallic Schools. Also nearby were the _Armamentarium_, comprising an armory to store weapons; the _Summum Choragium_, where machinery was stored; the _Sanitarium_, which had facilities to treat wounded hired fighters and the _Spoliarium_, where bodies of dead fighters were stripped of their armor and disposed of. Around the perimeter of the dome, at a distance of 18 m (59 ft) from the perimeter, was a series of tall stone posts, with five remaining on the eastern side. Various explanations have been advanced for their presence; they may have been a religious boundary, or an outer boundary for ticket checks, or an anchor for the awning.

"Wow, this place is extravagant" Marilyn raises her eyebrows commenting.

"Hard to argue with that" A certain red-haired man quickly agrees.

"A good place to put your life on" Alvin points to the receptionist, where the participants have to register, "Nice, let's see what we can get there"

Without further ado, the four goes to the registration counter with Alvin leading the deal, "Excuse me, mam, we would like to register for the next tournament in Gunner's Heaven, can you tell us the rules of this game?"

"It's simple, sir. You make a group of four to seven fighters. The tournament is being held everyday into three divisions, novice, journeyman, and master. Each division consists of three stages. They type of the tournament is single-elimination tournament where you have to face three different kind of opponents to win the tournament"

"What is the difference between the three divisions you mentioned?"

"Novice is the easiest and has the lowest prize money. Journeyman is the medium, while Master is the highest. Thus, winning the master division will give you the right to earn 600,000 gella"

"600,000 gella?!" Marilyn's eyes turn green in a quick second, "We're in for that one! A group of four!"

"Thank you. The registration fee is 10,000 gella. All you need to do is signing each of your name"

Without giving the other Garrisons the chance to actually say anything, Marilyn applies her group for the tournament and settles out with a schedule paper on her hand, "Let's see…we're going to have our first match in 14.00, that's an hour from now"

"Cannot believe she actually decided just like that" Alvin mutters to himself, but Cliff was aware enough to hear him.

"When Gella is being involved, even The Messenger of Darkness wouldn't be able to stop Marilyn Westerfield" Cliff throws a dry joke.

Despite only listening to the faintest part, Marilyn asks back, "I'm sorry, did you say something Cliff?"

"Yes, I said best of luck for all of us in Gunner's Heaven" A lie, obviously. But who wants to get chopped in the head?

"Hmm…fine, it's not like it's important. Other than that, I think we should grab something to eat first? Anyone care to pick where to eat?"

"There" Sophia, who's been silent ever since entering the dome, points a certain western-styled cafe, "I think that would be a fine place to eat. Something inside me tells me something good will happen to us if we go there"

"Well, don't see a harm in that. Let's go" Marilyn and the other three go to the café to find the place is quiet spacious and rather empty. Only several tables are occupied. They sit before ordering steaks for their lunch. Behind them, a group of three people could be seen enjoying their lunch too.

Both groups finish their lunch casually, keep their seating after it. "Is it just me or the steak gets better in each new town we hit?" Alvin expresses his gratefulness for the food.

"Second that" Sophia answers. But the moment of peacefulness doesn't really last long. On the street, among the crowds someone could be heard shouting, "Heeeeeelp!!! A Pickpocket stole my purse!"

"Eh?" Marilyn glances to outside the door, a man is seen running as fast as he can carrying a purse on his right hand, "Not my business"

"Let me guess….cause it won't benefit you at all?" Cliff takes a wild guess.

"True" And he is right.

But it's not like there is no other way to make someone moves, because the woman suddenly shouts, "Whoever catches that pickpocket and give me my wallet back will receive 10,000 gella"

"That's what I'm talking about!" Marilyn jumps off her chair and activates her Accelerator before running outside, "I'll be back in five minutes, guys!"

"Yeah, yeah. Take your time" Cliff sends her off, but she's not the only one going out. One of the three people sitting beside them, a young golden haired woman wearing a green spencer on top of a white shirt with a pair of denim trousers, runs to the outside chasing Marilyn and the pickpocket. Her hair is styled in middle-sized drill locks and she could be seen wearing a belt which carries a katana on her waist. The other from her group only stares at each other before doing back what they were doing.

"That girl is cute" Cliff takes this chance to steal a stare at the golden haired girl before sipping the remaining of his drink, "And she's quite a fighter too"

"Huh? What makes you say that?" Sophia bests Alvin from delivering a question.

"Cause she is chasing Marilyn on equal speed without using an Accelerator" A good observation from the red eyed man, "My guess is…she's a participant in Gunner's Heaven tournament"

Meanwhile, on the outside the pickpocket is in scare because he could see Marilyn closing from behind. Scary, really, considering she was left far behind. "You're mine!!" Marilyn grabs her sword and hits the pickpocket using its hilt, when the golden haired woman hits the pickpocket using her katana's hilt too at the same time, knocking the poor pickpocket down. Instantly, of course.

"Hey, what are you doing?! You interfered!" Marilyn, despite the achieved result, still speaks her protest to the golden haired woman.

"Calm down, sister. You're not the only one who wants an easy 10,000 gella" The woman replies. Her green eyes stare at the other swordswoman defiantly, "Besides, who are you to say you're the only one entitled to catch that pickpocket?"

"I'm the one who chased him first!"

"Yeah, but I was quicker than you!"

"No, you're not!"

"Oh, yeah?!"

"Yeah!"

"Oh, yeah?!"

"Yeah!"

"Oh, yeah?!"

"Yeah!"

"Um…excuse me?" The woman who shouted for help earlier shows up after taking her purse back, leaving the pickpocket alone, "Like I promised, I'll give 10,000 gella as the reward. Who knocked him down?"

"I did!" Marilyn and the golden haired girl loudly answer at the same time, before staring back at each other and confusing the woman even more.

"Eh…how about this? Here, I'll give each of you 5,000 gella because it seems to me that you two did the job together" The woman hands 5,000 gella to each Marilyn and the golden haired woman before leaving. However, the two girls aren't totally pleased with this.

"What takes her so long?" Alvin grunts waiting for Marilyn to return, "We're going to be late for the match. It'll start in 20 minutes!"

"There she is" Sophia refers to the fact Marilyn is going back to their table, with a very annoyed face, "What happened?"

"An annoying moe woman got in my way and cost me 5,000 gella!" Marilyn sounds really angry, "Let's get out of here!"

After the Four Garrison walks out, the golden haired woman returns to her table. "What's wrong, Francesca? You look angry" One of her companions, a golden haired young man with a pair of glasses wearing a simple pair of jeans and a brown t-shirt, asks with concern, "You met someone annoying outside?"

"Exactly, Ted!" The woman named Francesca replies to the man named Ted, "I met a really annoying woman outside! I only got 5,000 gella thanks to her interference!"

"It's better than not having anything, sister"

"Yes, but I'm still mad at her!"

"Um…guys?" The last one, a man shrouded by an aura of gloominess, dark long haired, dresses in black from head to toe with a long-sleeved shirt and a pair of trousers, calls for the other two, "I'm not…um, trying to cut you off but um…we're going to be late for our match if we don't go um…now"

"Frank's right" Ted agrees with the man named Frank and raises, "Let's go to the dome, sis. There's nothing you can do about that girl"

"Fine! I just hope I don't have to see her face ever again" And with that, the three leaves.

_Twenty minutes later, inside the Gunner's Heaven dome…_

Upon arriving back on the dome, the Four Garrison is welcomed by a harmless looking brown short haired young girl wearing a green western style business suit. She wears a pair of glasses and displays a smile on her face, "Welcome, drifters. My name is Velma Begucci, I'll be your guide and the umpire for your matches during the tournament for the next three days"

"Begucci? So, you're the daughter of Roberto Begucci? The owner of Gunner's Heaven dome?" Marilyn quickly recognizes her.

"That's right, Miss Westerfield. My father is indeed the owner of the dome"

"Hm…and I guess you knew my name from the registration paper?"

"Correct, Miss Westerfield" Velma smiles, "I'm good at remembering things"

"I see…" Marilyn smirks, "_Then, I guess I'll have to question her later about Lord Green"_

"Okay, please come this way" Velma guides the group to a hall on the east wing, leading to the arena. The Four Garrison entered the arena for the master's division. Unsurprisingly, since this is only the first match there is no spectator or whatsoever. Only several people watching from the VIP control booth in the above floor. "Wow, this place is surprisingly quite empty" Cliff is the first to note that, "I thought we would see spectators everywhere"

"The spectators are only the VIP members of the control booth on the above floor" Velma explains.

"_VIP members? Gotta check on them after the match_" Alvin reminds himself of his group's true intention of coming the Gunner's Heaven in the first place, "Anyway, those guys seem to be our first challenge"

From the other end of the arena, at least thirty men could be seen walking out. And trust me; they don't look friendly at all. They look bloodthirsty and ready to fight. "This is your first matchup" Velma explains with an innocent look, "They are thirty prisoners from nearby prisons we hired to spice things up in the first round, mostly murderers and rapists. My father promised them to be released if they can win this round. Good luck!"

What Velma just said literally makes the group stare at her while thinking,

S: _I know I'm not one to say this, but this girl is weird..._

A: _She's creepy…_

M: _Sociopath…_

C: _This whole place is insane…_

"OK, so who wants to take them on?" Marilyn puts over the weirdness aside and starts being serious, "Personally, them being rapists is a total turning off for me. I'm out for this game"

"Me too, I don't feel like doing it" Sophia seconds the swordswoman.

Much to his understanding, Alvin rolls his eyes, "That leaves the two of us, Cliff"

"Fine, let's get this over with" Cliff pulls out his giant shears, "I feel like sleeping early today"

But without any of them noticing, Francesca and her friends arrive and take seats on the attendance seats. "Hey…what the?!" Francesca notices upon seeing the group on the arena, "It's the annoying girl!! And she brings her gang with her too!"

So, Ted responds, "Oh, they are participants in here it seems. It explains clearly why she got an accelerator helping her to move. Only someone with a capability of fighting would possess such thing"

"How do you know she's got an accelerator?"

"By her movement when she ran outside the café. I think she must have hid her accelerator somewhere around her waist"

"Wow…brilliant deduction" Francesca claps with a pleased face, "Like always, boy genius"

"Humble me, sister" Ted replies, gently, "Now, let me check about them on the information counter. Maybe we could learn something useful. I'll leave Frank and his gloominess with you, okay?"

"Okay"

_Back to the arena…_

"Actually, you feel like sleeping early every single day" Alvin tells The Crimson as they walk to the arena.

"Don't say that, you know I need to" Cliff waves his shears around as the fifty men closing in, "By the way, I can't use Dreadnaught, right?"

"Yes…cause it will get us kicked out"

"Here? In an illegal place?"

"Well…maybe no, but let's not use Dreadnaught for now. Those rich guys above are friends with WU, you know?"

"So, do you think I should just bomb these rapists away? Bomb isn't illegal here, right?"

"No, I think. But wouldn't it spoil the fun?"

"Spoil what fun? You just want to beat the crap outta them! I need to sleep!"

"Don't be egoistical!! You're starting to piss me off!!"

Seeing the two argues, the prisoners cannot help but wondering and starting to look at each other. Foolishly, one of them yells, "Hey, are you going to fight us or not?!"

"Ah?" Both Cliff & Alvin stare at the prisoners angrily. Their aura of presence is more than enough to suppress the whole gang, "Man, they're asking for it"

"Oh, crap" The prisoner who yelled earlier realizes he just made a big mistake, "We're dead meat"

Without further ado, Alvin and Cliff chase the prisoners to make a quick job. Alvin doesn't waste his breath running towards a group of prisoners and rapidly throws a jab at one of them, starting the massacre. Spinning carefully, the baskar native sends a jump spin hook kick to one of the rapists and causes him to flung to at least three other men. Another on tries to strike Alvin from behind but Alvin outmaneuvers him and dodges it, replying by a direct side kick to the head. When he sees eight of them running for him, Alvin turns his back and leaps, executing a fine flying back kick which smashes one of the prisoners and sends him flying across back to his group, knocking all of them down with one hit. As for Cliff…well, he isn't doing bad at all. Using his superhuman strength, Cliff grabs one prisoner on the neck and throws him to the air, indicating what would happen to the other prisoners when the thrown prisoner landed on the ground, harshly and more than likely dead. The other prisoners look a bit scared to try, giving Cliff the chance to run amok and catches one of them, again throwing him to the air. The red eyed man smashes another prisoner with his shears right to the face before grabbing another one and sending him to the air, following his previous two other friends. And again, he grabs another prisoner and sends him flying to his group, bringing down the lots of them. The other prisoners are quick to tell the guy they are facing isn't the exact same human as they are thus they chicken out and run for their lives. Alvin, however, quickly appears among the remaining prisoners. Using both his arms to support his balance as he lifts both his legs, Alvin grabs one prisoner on the neck using both his legs simultaneously before rolling and strikes anyone near him down in one roll, using the poor prisoner as he executed the scissor kick technique. Now, only eight prisoners left. And it seems anyone with half a brain would know who wins if they fight continue.

"Please don't kill us!!" The prisoners beg for their lives, "We'll do anything you say!"

"Really?"

"Yes"

"Then surrender"

"OK, OK!! We lost this match!! Let us go!"

"Wow, just like that?" Alvin chimes in the conversation, "You hear that, Miss Velma? They surrendered!"

"Yep, I heard that!" Velma happily announces, "The winner of this match is the group of four drifters!! Congrats!"

"So, we go to the next round?" Marilyn wants to ensure things.

"Yes, Miss Westerfield" Velma congrats the group again before takes her leave, "You and your friends moved to the second round, which will be held today. Thanks for the participation today; I shall take my leave now. See you tomorrow!"

"Yeah"

"Glad that was over quick" Alvin stretches both his arms to get limber. Cliff walks back to the girls silently, showing signs of being tired and wanting to sleep.

"Okay, we'll find an inn for us to stay like we planned, Marilyn" A shocking news comes from Alvin as he referred to Sophia and himself.

"Wait…you two? Only you two?" Cliff smells something suspicious. Something he won't like, "What are you planning? When did you plan it? And what does that leave me?"

"We planned this back there at the jeep while you were sleeping. The current plan is for Alvin & Sophia to find all of us a nice inn to stay while you…" Marilyn pats at Cliff's shoulder, "You will be accompanying me watching the rest of the tournament here so we can learn something useful about our adversaries"

"What?! No! I want to sleep!" A familiar protest coming from the ARMs wielder.

"No, no. You're going to seat beside me and watch the matches" Without giving Cliff a chance to rebut, Marilyn grabs his arm and drags him with her. As usual, Alvin and Sophia are left alone to watch.

"Marilyn likes Cliff that much, right Alvin?" And as usual, they still don't understand the term 'soulmate', "When she wants to go here and there, she takes Cliff with him. When she wants to do this or that, she takes Cliff with him. When she wants to plan this or that, she counts on Cliff"

"Yeah, dunno why Cliff isn't that eager to do the deeds with her and always prefers sleeping though" Actually, if the both of you try to at least learn or open your eyes, you'll see they aren't lovers but soulmates. But, that doesn't seem likely for now, "Let's go, Sophia. Let those two enjoy their time together"

"Okie-dokie"

_Meanwhile, back to Francesca and Frank…_

"So, what do you think of their performance, Frank?" Francesca looks at her companion after asking him.

"Um…I think the dusky skinned guy is a very technical fighter. I bet he's an actual hand to hand combat fighter" A brilliant view, "And um…the red haired man relies heavily on his physical strength. He's not um…technical but really dangerous"

"I agree, it's obvious his strength is greater than most normal humans" The golden haired girl seconds Frank's opinion, "But, too bad that annoying girl didn't even bother to take part on the battle. I would have loved to see what she is capable of doing"

"Your wish is granted, sister. Well, a small part of it" Ted returns with a pleased expression on his face, obviously learning something about The Four Garrison, "According to the information I received, and some recallable parts of my knowledge, they are The Four Garrison, the group of four drifters traveling around the world for an unmentioned purpose, but they are infamously known within World Union and The Society for battling both factions on a small scale whenever they hit the road with either one of them for the last two years. That dusky skinned man is Alvin Clarion, a native from Baskar Colony nicknamed Anhur. His father which also happen to be the chieftain of the current Baskar Colony, Seamus Clarion, is one The Red Swords"

"What?! The Red Swords?!" Francesca raises her eyebrows, "Five greatest warriors in Red Moon directly under The Red Paladin and The Wizard Queen?!"

"Precisely, and that's not all. The Four Garrison is rather an interesting group" Ted deliberately smirks, knowing they are interesting indeed, "The dark haired girl is Sophia LeBlanc, a mercenary from the famous mercenary group Blancruitzer, nicknamed The Sharpshooter. Her father, Jacques LeBlanc Sr., and her brother, Jacques LeBlanc Jr. are both notable members of The Red Moon during the Genesis War"

"What the?! Is it just me or The Four Garrison is actually a group of Red Moon's descendants?"

"Seems so, sister. That's why I said they are interesting. However, the last two members are shrouded in mystery"

"That annoying girl?! What about her?!"

"She is Marilyn Westerfield, also known as The Spider Lily. Not much is known about her origin or her family, but it seems that around three or four years ago she has some altercation with the World Union and ended up killing many of their important scientists. As of now, World Union put a bounty on her head"

"She's got a bounty?! That annoying girl?!" Francesca doesn't really buy into that at all, "How much is her bounty?"

"Sorry, but I don't know that. It's a classified info according to the source I learned the information" Ted shrugs, "And just like you, she is a swordswoman"

"Well…at least now I know something about her" The older Schrodinger sits back beside Frank who's been listening quietly, "And what about the red haired man? Let me guess, he's also some kind of hotshot drifter?"

"Maybe more than that…" Ted's voice turns serious, "Cliff Margester, he seems to be a close friend of Marilyn Westerfield. They have been spotted running around together even before The Four Garrison was formed. Either he was born an adult or he is the second coming of our savior, but this Margester guy has zero info about anything regarding his past. Nothing is known about him with the exception that he's a drifter, that's all"

"The children of legendary heroes, a wanted woman, and a man shrouded in mystery" Francesca notes the uniqueness, "They are one hell of a group, indeed. This is starting to sound like an RPG game"

Noticing the schedule, Frank tells his two friends, "Um…not planning to ruin your fun, guys. But um…our match is next"

"What?! Why haven't you tell us earlier?!"

"Um…I tried but…um…"

"Ow, you're too gloomy to even talk!" Francesca raises and pulls the other two with her, "Come on, or else we will be disqualified!"

Unknown to them, when they take their leave Marilyn arrives dragging the half-asleep Cliff. The two sits down before Marilyn opens up some paper she collected from the information counter to learn a thing or two about the other participants, "These papers contain all we need to know about our possible opponents in the final round. You watch the match with me, okay? Tell me if I miss something"

"Huh? Oh…yeah…" Cliff replies reluctantly, knowing he would fall asleep as soon as possible. Well, if you have to go out might as well go out with a bang.

And when Francesca enters the arena followed by her two companions, Marilyn nearly drops her jaw, "What?! It's the moe woman!"

"Eh? That cutie?" Cliff comes back to life with glittering eyes, "Where? Where?"

And Marilyn just cannot believe this, "Cliff…you…"

"Where is she, Marilyn?!"

"Down there…in the arena…" Still overwhelmed by disbelieve, Marilyn points to the arena when the match is about to begin. Francesca tells the other two to stay back and leave the action for her. On the other side of the arena, a Trask monster enters with dreaded look and dreaded aura. "_Heh, this would be a piece of cake_" Francesca tells herself confidently. Behind her, Ted watches but doesn't really seem to care. As for Frank, he looks like he's wandering on his own world.

And from the seat, Cliff sounds like a fanboy falling in love, "Oh, will she be okay? That monster looks so eerie! Will she win?! God, don't let that cutie got hurt!"

"Cliff…please stop it" Marilyn pleas, almost choking, "That's too much…you never even said those words to me"

"Because I knew and believed you would win!" That's right folks; Cliff is now officially a fanboy, "Go Francesca!!! I got your back!"

"Wait, how do you know her name is Francesca?!"

"I overheard her friends' conversation back there at the café" Cliff simply explains, "Hey, look! The match is about to start!"

Trask, having only his instinct to move, speeds towards the golden haired girl who prepares her advance with calm. Slowly, she reaches to the hilt of her katana, grappling it with a gentle yet powerful measure. When Trask is only twenty feet away from her, she moves in lightening speed right to the monster's direction. Right before the monster, she unsheathes her sword and strikes downward from above and then instantly strikes again in an upward motion from below, like an eagle climbing again after swooping down on its prey.

She executed all that so fast no normal eyes could follow, and it all seemed like just one slash instead of three. When she sheaths her sword back, the monster falls down into three parts and dies, instantly. More or less, the victory belongs to Francesca & co., leaving Marilyn and Cliff speechless.

"Wow…" Cliff tries to voice something to break the ice, "That looks…just like your…Guillotine"

"Faster…" Marilyn, whether she likes it or not, admits, "Guillotine only require one single slash, so of course its speed its undeniably fast. But she executed three slashes at once with the same speed of executing one…she is insanely fast. That move…it must be Tsubame Gaeshi"

"Tsubame Gaeshi? What's that?"

"Lord Green told me it was a unique sword attack so named because it mimicked the motion of a swallow's tail during flight. This cut was reputedly so quick and precise that it could strike down a bird in mid-flight. Respectively the two involved fierce and swift cuts downward and then immediately upwards. Hence, Tsubame Gaeshi has been reconstructed as a technique involving striking downward from above and then instantly striking again in an upward motion from below. The strike's second phase could be from below toward the rear and then upward at an angle, like an eagle climbing again after swooping down on its prey" The silver haired swordswoman explains. She looks at the papers on her hand afterwards, having no chance to read it before thanks to the show, "Oh, here we can get some info about those three guys"

"I'm all ears, Marilyn"

"That moe girl is Francesca Schrodinger, a drifter from Court Seim, town around south Arctica most well-known for its orphanage. She is the second children of The Schrodinger family. It seems that her family runs the whole town. That boy wearing glasses is her younger brother, the third children of The Schrodinger family, Ted Schrodinger. He doesn't seem to be a fighter, so I cannot really guess his role in the group. And that gloomy looking guy is…Frank Glooms"

"Frank Glooms?!" Cliff chuckles, "He looks so gloomy and his name is Frank Glooms?!"

"Ironic, huh? He used to be one of the orphans living in Court Seim. But as you can see, now he's drifting along his two friends" Marilyn concludes, "Well, let's go for now. We've seen enough"

"Yeah…well…" Cliff however, seems reluctant to go.

"What is it, Cliff?"

"Eh…if possible, can you wait here?"

"Why?!"

"I…want to introduce myself to her"

"No!" Marilyn chops the red eyed man on the head before dragging him with her…again, "You are not going anywhere near her!! You're going back with me and that's final!"

"But…but…"

"No buts!!!"

_At the same time, in the control room…_

A middle-aged man, with Caesar cut hair wearing a three piece suit, is seen watching the arena. A grin could visibly be seen on his face. Not far from him, a woman, long dark haired wearing dark formal clothing, is seen polishing her fingernails quietly. Velma enters the control room with a cheerful smile, "Father, do you like the show today?"

"Why, yes" The man, who turns out to be Roberto Begucci, answers, "It's been awhile…ever since that Flamberge wielder came here we got such a good show. I'm sure our guests will be pleased for the next two outings too"

"Glad to help! We got two groups standing out today in the master division" Velma titls her head, pretending to remember something, "The Four Garrison and The Schrodinger Family"

"Well, it seems The Four Garrison is here for some apparent reason. But, that's not our concern" Roberto calmly responds, "By the way, didn't we receive Peacemaker Gomez Delphic and Peacemaker Brooke Timmons of World Union's Peacemaker Division are heading here?"

"Yes, we received the information around two days ago"

"Good, Velma. Now, can you do me a favor?"

"Yes, father"

"Inform both Peacemakers regarding the Four Garrison's whereabouts. And send several men to keep our eye on them"

"Very well, father. What about the Schrodinger gang?"

"We can use them for our benefit later. For now, leave them alone"

"Crystal clear, father. Now, I'll take my leave"

When Velma leaves, Roberto turns his sight to the dark haired girl and tells her, "Janie, you might want to prepare yourself. At any given situation, we could have a breakout around here and a battle will ensue"

"I'm already prepared, Mister Roberto" Janie shows him her polished fingernails, "All I need are these lovely nails of mine, after all"

_Half an hour later, inside a small inn near the dome…_

"Hmph!" Marilyn throws Cliff to their booked room with Sophia and Alvin already waiting inside.

Although the sharpshooter and the martial artist can already tell Marilyn and Cliff bumped into yet another fight, Alvin proceeds carefully to ask, "So…any news going on about the dome and its participants?"

"Here, it's all here" Marilyn hands Alvin the paper before sitting in the bed, not saying anything or doing anything but staring furiously at the red haired man.

"What happened, guys?" Alvin rolls his eyes, perfectly reading the mood, "Don't tell me, another lovey-dovey fight between the two of you?"

"Eh…it's not like that actually…" Cliff slowly rises back, feeling somewhat guilty, "I only wanted to introduce myself to one of the participants but Marilyn beat the hell out of me"

"Be more specific"

"The cute girl we saw earlier in the café. She's a participant in the dome named Francesca" Cliff puts a stupid face telling this story, "After she won the match, I wanted to go down and introduce myself…but Marilyn suddenly erupted and beat the hell out of me"

Since Alvin believes Cliff has been trying to impress Marilyn lately, he slowly face-palms his face, "Why, you idiot…"

"I'm not an idiot! What is the wrong of wanting to introduce yourself?! It's not like I'm going to do something to her" Cliff begins his defense, "Besides, since when socializing is a sin?!"

"Let me tell you something good, dude" Alvin whispers to Cliff's ear slowly so the girls won't hear, "If you want to impress a girl, you don't loudly declare your admiration for another girl. Chicks don't like that kinda stuff"

"Eh? I don't really get what you mean…I wasn't trying to impress anyone…"

"Oh, cut it off!! How many times you're going to deny that!" Alvin starts losing his wrong patience for Cliff and yells, "Well, anyway…let's put that stupid matter aside for now! I'll be going to a certain information source in this town and try if I can find anything related to Leyline tonight"

"To be more exact, where?"

"A bar" Alvin smirks, "You know, just like old war movies. Anyone's coming with me?"

"I'll go" Marilyn responds, "It's better than staying here"

"I think I'll stay in the room" Sophia then admits, "I already forgot where to head if I want to go the dome…"

"That's surprising" A rather sarcastic reply spoken by Alvin, "What about you, Cliff? You're coming or not?"

"Eh…" Cliff glances at Marilyn whom still looks pissed. An old says, don't play with fire, so that's what Cliff is going to do right now, "I'll stay here…I….I need to sleep early today…"

"Knock yourself out, dude" Alvin takes his leave, "Cliff, our's room beside this one. You might want to get there now. Let's give the girls some space"

"Yeah, okay" The Crimson walks out and heads to his room. Now, the girls are alone in their room.

"You're really pissed off?" Sophia tries to ensure the current situation.

"Isn't that clear?!"

"Why?"

"Why?! Why you ask?!"

"Yeah, why? You wouldn't be angry without a proper reason, right?" Is it just me or at times like these Sophia is really cool? "I mean, perhaps Cliff was just trying to socialize. And I see nothing's wrong with that"

"Because he was trying to socialize with that moe girl!!! That's why!"

"And? You were jealous because of that?!"

"What?! I'm not jealous!!" Regardless, a pink blush appears on her face, "It was just…he…he…"

"He? What was Cliff doing? Did he say anything offensive?"

"_He…said things about her…things he never even said to me and that hurt my feelings_" That's what Marilyn wants to say, but her pride won't allow it. So, she makes up an excuse, "No…he didn't. I just don't want him anywhere near that girl ever again"

"Well…if you say so…" Sophia concludes before returning back to her 'normal' self, "By the way, why are we here? Where are Cliff & Alvin?"

"Good…you've returned to your normal self" Marilyn rolls her eyes, "Anyway, I'll hit the shower first, okay?"

"O…kay"

_Later that night…_

As they planned earlier, Alvin and Marilyn go to a bar not far from the dome, finding anything they could use to benefit themselves especially regarding The Messenger of Darkness…or anything else to that matter. The bar itself is built like a saloon, with card room, billiard room,. And the saloon itself where for an admission fee or a higher price of drinks, singing, dancing, drama or comedy was performed and drinks would be served at the table. There's even a music hall. Needless to say, the bar is really crowded.

"OK, let me remind you something" Alvin kindly ensures the swordswoman things she can't forget, "You're underage, so you cannot drink. Do I make myself clear?"

"Alvin, within our group you're the only one who drinks. Cliff, Sophia, and I never once drink" Marilyn gazes at the baskar native, whom all of a sudden looks guilty, "Now, let's get going to the business and get the hell out of here!"

"Okay, okay" Alvin takes Marilyn to the pub where they sit in front of a bartender. A middle aged man, dusky skinned just like Alvin. He wears a tidy usual bartender suit. His brown hair matches his brown eyes.

"Good evening, sir and mam" He greets, "May I offer you a drink?"

"There's no need to be so polite, Goyahkla" Alvin politely replies, "Long time no see"

"Please, Sir Alvin, I'm not worthy of your greetings"

"Sir Alvin?" Marilyn quickly reads the page, "Oh, so you must be a member of Baskar Colony"

"That's right, Miss Westerfield. I'm an informant placed in this town by Chief Seamus" Goyahkla accounts the swordswoman, "Upon receiving the news of your group's arrival in this town, I already prepared any information that might help you accomplishing your mission or your journey"

"As expected from one of the best informants in the colony" Alvin escapes a small yet noteworthy praise, "No need to doubt the information coming from him, Marilyn. The informants of Baskar say nothing but truth"

"So, I get the honor to ask first?" Marilyn goes with the flow, "So, what do you know about the millionaires surrounding the Beguccis?"

With a deep voice, the informant politely answers, "Almost all of them are VIP members of The Gunner's Heaven dome. Although usually they're invited only for the final matches. But there's a high possibility they took the chance to held several meetings regarding their business with the World Union"

"What kind of business?"

"Actually, it's more like a mutual understanding. World Union will provide Beguccis and their colleagues with security as well as overlooking their illegal Gunner's Heaven matches. In return, Beguccis and his friends pay 10% of their total income to World Union every month" Goyakhla clears the news in two sentences, "They have been doing that for at least ten years"

"That's a long ass time" Alvin throws a deadpan comment, "And can we assume the money used by World Union for their own need under the label 'donator' in each of their report to avoid suspicion?"

"Precisely, Sir Alvin"

"And as luck would have it, do you happen to know about past winners?" Marilyn seals the chance to dig what she wants to know the most.

"Maybe not too deep on their personal info, Miss Westerfield. May I know the name of the winner you seem really want to know?"

"Before I ask…" Marilyn looks at Alvin with a pleading gaze, "Alvin, I know maybe this is indecent to say and improper to do, but can you please…give me some space? Just for a few moment?"

"You mean…I cannot hear this one?"

"Actually…yes"

"….fine" Alvin is able to understand walks away, "You got five minutes. I need to ask something important too"

"Thank you" The silver haired girl gazes back at the informant and asks, impatiently, "Tell me anything you know about the winner from four months ago. His name is Vold Green"

"Vold Green? Yeah, I remember him. He was a charming man carrying a Flamberge as his weapon" Nice way to start, "He participated as a single contestant in the master division and soundly defeated all his enemies in three rounds, breaking a record for single fighter"

"Uh, yeah. I already knew that. What I want to ask is…do you know anything about the reason of why he was participating? Or did he ever do anything here outside winning the tournament?"

"Hm…" Goyakhla recalls a certain information and speaks, "I heard from a rumor the actual reason of why he was here is to chase a certain target"

"Who's that target?"

"A name this world knew very well, Miss Westerfield" The informant closes both his eyes before escaping the name, "The Messenger of Darkness"

"What?!" Marilyn's eyes are widening upon learning the name, "_Lord Green…chased the same target like us?!_"

"Miss Westerfield? Did I say something wrong?"

"No, no! Not at all!" Marilyn regains her composure back and asks again, "Do you happen to know anything about why Vold Green was chasing The Messenger of Darkness? Or why he was here in the first place? Could it be that The Messenger of Darkness was also here?"

Unfortunately, Goyakhla has to shake his head, "I'm sorry, Miss Westerfield. But, I don't know the motive behind Vold Green's coming in here. And nor do I know about The Messenger of Darkness. If there's anyone here would know that much, it must be Roberto Begucci himself"

"What makes you say that?"

"Because Roberto Begucci is closer to World Union or underground world than any of us, Miss Westerfield. You were surprised about The Messenger of Darkness because your group found one of his handiworks at Leyline Observatory, right? And that led to your assumption that wherever The Messenger of Darkness is, Vold Green shouldn't be too far away" The informant just exclaims a brilliant deduction, much to Mairlyn's own surprise, "Nice line of thinking, Miss Westerfield. If you wish to know more about Vold Green or The Messenger of Darkness, only Roberto Begucci could give you a hint"

Although Marilyn seems somewhat upset, deep down she feels the lead is more than enough. It's better than having nothing at all, so she kindly thanks the informant, "This conversation has been really educating, Goyakhla. Thank you; I really appreciate your help"

"Don't mention it, Miss Westerfield. May the guardians bless you on your journey" The informant too, gently replies, before Marilyn retiring herself from the chair and telling Alvin she would go back to the inn early. Alvin doesn't mind it and sits back to in front of Goyakhla.

"Sorry, Goyakhla. Did Marilyn trouble you?"

"Not at all, Sir Alvin. She is a fighter" Goyakhla speaks what is on his mind, "I could clearly see her will to move even further although she would have to win The Gunner's Heaven to do so"

Alvin tilts his head a bit, recalling how Marilyn asked him to step away for a moment. It must be something personal, but she belongs to The Four Garrison so there's no way the other three would let her win the dome all by herself. So, with a confident smile on his face, Alvin states, "The good part of that is, she won't do it alone"

"I'm sure she will not" The informant answers with a smile too, understanding the meaning behind those words, "Now, what would you like to know, Sir Alvin?"

"Yeah, can you tell me a thing or two about the letters on this ARMs-smith book I found two days ago?"

_Meanwhile, back to the inn…_

Cliff is still wandering in his room, thinking whether he should apologize to his soulmate or not, "_Should I apologize to Marilyn? But, I didn't actually do anything now, did I? Ow, this is so confusing!"_

Right after that, Cliff hears a noise on the corridor outside his room. It's like someone is having trouble finding her room. Since he's particularly good at heart, Cliff goes outside to see what's happening. And outside, he finds Francesca having troubles carrying a bunch of suitcases, "Uh, I shouldn't have let Frank and Ted tricked me into having a bet and lost it!! Ugh, these suitcases are really heavy!!"

"Uh…miss?" Cliff shortens the distance between himself and Francesca before offering his help, "Can I help you with your luggage? It seems to me that you're having trouble with it"

"Oh, yes! That would be really helpful!" Yeah, in this kind of situation there's no way Francesca would say no. In a quick and easy work, Cliff helps Francesca moving her group's suitcases to their room before going back to the corridor, "Wow, thank you! That was a great help!"

"Don't mind it" Cliff tries to act like a real gentleman this time.

Of course, it doesn't take long for Francesca to recognize the red eyed man, "Hey…do I know you? You look somewhat familiar to me"

"Uh, yes. We met before in the café this afternoon" Although Cliff's unsure whether this is a good move or not, he goes on with it, "And I saw you at the dome"

"Oh, you're one of that annoying girl's….I mean, Westerfield's companions!!" Bulls-eye!!! "Your name is Cliff Margester, right?"

"Precisely! And if my memory serves me right, you're Francesca Schrodinger?"

"Yeah"

"Well, if that's the case then I might as well formally introduce myself" Cliff composes his standing and then gently introduces himself, "My name, as you said earlier, is Cliff Margester. It's a pleasure to see you, Miss Francesca Schrodinger"

"You're surprisingly polite, Margester" The swordswoman replies, "A vast difference with your companion"

"You mean Marilyn?"

"Yes, that Westerfield girl. How could you keep up with her?"

"Oh, Marilyn is actually a good person" Cliff states what he thinks, at least as a soulmate, "She can be really hard to handle sometimes, but she is good at heart"

"Hehe, that is something remains to be seen" Francesca brings the conversation to a lighter level, "I saw you participating on the fight today. What's with that strength? Are you some kind of superhuman?"

"You've never seen anyone throwing duds on the air before?" Cliff smartly reads the atmosphere and goes with the flow.

"Nope, never"

"Coming from such a drifter, that's surprising" The Crimson really knows how to impress, huh? "The sword you used in the dome, it's called Shigure, right? I've heard of it before, Shigure is one of the finest katanas in the whole Filgaia. You sure are skilled with it"

"Humble me, Margester. You sure know how to speak things" A sweet respond, "By the way, rather than standing here would you like to go to…"

Unfortunately, their conversation must be put on hold when a certain someone appears.

"Cliff!!!" Marilyn shouts soooo loud it sounds like a gunshot, "What are you doing here with that moe girl…I mean, Shcrodinger?!"

"What?! Marilyn?!" Caught red-handed, the red haired man can no longer make up excuses, "We're just…uh…introducing ourselves to each other! You know, socializing?!"

"Bull!! I'm not going to buy that!" Marilyn puts and angry face, gazing at both young adults, "And what are you doing here, Schrodinger?!"

"Relax, Westerfield. I'm going to stay in the room in front of his room, that's why I'm here" Francesca reveals the truth, feeling somewhat victorious, "With that being said, can you please go somewhere else? I'm not finished talking with my new friend here"

"No chance!!" Okay, we're in for another catfight, "Cliff isn't your friend!"

"Oh, yeah! Why's that?!"

"Because he knew he can trust me!! How does he know he can trust you?!"

"What are you talking about, Westerfield?!"

"What if you actually want to stab him from the back before mutilating him slowly until he dies of blood loss?!"

"What?!" Cliff is the one to react, "That's cruel!! How could you think of something like that being applied to me?!"

"I'm just making an example!"

"A stupid example, if I may say" Francesca continues gaining the upper hand, "Who would do such thing in a place like this where screams could be heard? You're really annoying, Westerfield. Next time, think before you act"

"You…" Marilyn goes in lost words state, getting owned big time here.

"Either way, I'll excuse myself for now. I want to have some rest" Francesca waves her hand goodbye to Cliff, "See you later, Margester. Love our short chat back there. Hopefully next time we can talk in a freer atmosphere with no one's interrupting"

"Uh…yeah, you're welcome" Cliff returns by waving his hand also as Francesca goes inside her room. Now, Cliff is left alone with The Spider Lily. It doesn't take Stephen Hawking to tell Cliff he's in a really deep trouble, so before another chaos ensues he excuses himself, "O boy, how I feel like sleeping early tonight! See you tomorrow, Marilyn!"

"Wait" Marilyn speaks, almost like commanding. She didn't actually shout, but there's a certain feeling on her tone which makes Cliff stop right when he heard it, "I'm not done with you"

"_This isn't going to be good…_" Cliff gulped and casts his attention back to his silver-haired friend, "Uh…yes? Is there anything I can help you with?"

Marilyn doesn't answer; she's just standing there casting her gaze at Cliff. Even without words, those black spheres on her eyes tell better story than any words could: She's hurt. Cliff cannot really decipher whether she's hurt because of the conversation with Francesca earlier or because of another reason. But when he thinks about it clearly, he is part of what makes her upset. Without escaping any word from her mind, Marilyn opens the door to her room and enters, slamming the door on her way in. Cliff is almost taken aback by her doing, but he knows not what to do.

"Why are you standing there?" Alvin comes from Cliff's behind without him noticing, "Did something happen?"

"Eh?! No, not really!"

"Are you sure? You look pale"

"I'm fine, maybe I'm just tired" The stress today has taken its toll on him, so Cliff goes back to his room, "Good night, Alvin"

"Night…" But Alvin knows something is wrong, "_Suspicious, gotta check on it tomorrow_"

With all that happened in one night, it doesn't take long for the garrisons to hit their bed and drift away into their dreams.

The next morning, The Four Garrison is ready for their second round of the dome. However, things are a bit different today. There have been an awkward silent between all four of them, probably affected by the other two at first. Entering the dome, even the cheerful Velma couldn't really enlighten the mood, "Hey, guys!! How're you doing today?! You guys got a nice sleep last night"

"Yeah…" Cliff answers it, almost tonelessly.

"Hm? What happened to all of you? You seem kind of…different today"

"No, nothing happened" Alvin, being the one who has always plastered the group together, quickly raises his voice to settle things down, "We're just tired from preparing ourselves last night. That's all"

"Hmm…okay. It's all cool, then. Follow me" Velma, just like yesterday, takes the group to the arena where the second round will begin, "You have five minutes until your opponent comes out. Today's a one on one battle for your team, so please choose one person from your team to enter"

At the audience seat, Francesca and her companions are seen watching the fixture carefully. "You look so happy today, sis" Ted notices the victorious smile on Francesca's face, "Something good happened to you while we were not watching?"

"Not something, two things" The swordswoman makes a peace sign with her hand and shows it with proud.

"Does this have anything to do with The Four Garrison?"

"Precisely, but this is my secret"

"That's all right" Ted smirks, "As long as you looks happy, I don't need to know what your little secret is"

"Very understanding, thank you!" Francesca's attention is soon caught by what is happening in the arena, "Hey, look! They are about to start!"

Down below, Marilyn is walking towards the arena. Earlier, The Four Garrison went in a debate of who should go,

A: Ok…who wants to go?

S: Eh…it's not that I don't want to, but even here, there's a possibility of them making a big deal if I, or Cliff, use ARMs.

C: That's unfortunate, really. But, if you guys agree I can always go with my scissors ready.

M: No need to talk anymore, I'll go.

A: Really?

M: Yeah, I need something to let the steam in my head go.

A: Well, if you say so…anyone objects?

S: No.

C: Eh, (looks at Marilyn who seems to avoid an eye contact with him) no.

A: I don't either.

M: Thank you, this won't take long.

After Marilyn left, the other three regroups and discusses the earlier event,

A: Hey, did you see that?! Marilyn offered her help when it wouldn't benefit her at all!

S: I was surprised too! I believe this has something to do with Cliff!

A: Yeah!

C: What?! Me?

A: Admit it like a man, dude! You're the only one who can make her upset or happy in this turf!

S: Yeah, what did you do to her?

C: I…I didn't…

A: Cut the bull, Cliff!! What did you do to her?!

C: I…she saw me talking with Francesca in front of my room, that's all!! She got mad at me after that!

A: Francesca? You mean the Schrodinger girl?

C: Yes.

A: Are you stupid?! You do know Marilyn got a buff with her just yesterday, right?!

C: Yes, but what's wrong with me talking to her?! We're just introducing ourselves to each other! Just because Marilyn got a buff with her doesn't entitle anyone to stop me from socializing, now does it?!

A: But shouldn't you consider her feeling?! At least if you want to 'socialize' with someone she dislikes you should do it in a place far from her reach!

C: Where?! In the rooftop?!

A: That would be a good idea!

C: Fine!! Next time I want to speak with Francesca, I'll take her to the rooftop!

A: Yeah, you do that!

After the two men settle their buff, Sophia is left wondering, pretty much because she already forgot again, "_To the rooftop? What for?_"

Either way, the match is about to start when a Grodine comes out from the other side of the arena. Marilyn unsheathes her Iskander Bey and activates her accelerator, preparing to launch her Guillotine. When the Grodine is about to make a go, Marilyn outmaneuvers her adversary by moving rapidly. She moved so fast a clear silhouette of after images run across the arena, past through the monster. Before anyone could realize what was going on, Grodine's body crumbles into three pieces to the floor as its blood sprays everywhere. Around ten feet behind the monster pieces, the dark eyed swordswoman calmly sheaths her sword back to its scabbard.

Sophia, Alvin, and Cliff are left with their eyes widened. Francesca, Ted, and Frank couldn't hide their gasp seeing it. And Velma is left with a confused face, "What did…just happen?"

"Did you see that?!" Alvin cannot contain his surprise anymore and breaks down, "In the name of anything decent, how did she do that?! That was so freaking fast!!"

Sophia, who doesn't even have the energy to shout thanks to the shock, slowly murmurs, "I agree…I know she's fast with her accelerator…but that one was simply breathtaking"

"Cliff?" Alvin gulps and turns over to the red haired man, who's been stay silent.

"Yes?" Cliff escapes a small answer.

"You're in a really, really deep shit"

"Yeah…thanks for reminding me…"

"The…the winner of this match…The Four Garrison…" Velma announces in a slow tone before excusing herself. Marilyn calmly walks back to where her group is.

Pretending like she doesn't actually know, the youngest of the four speaks, "What's wrong, guys? You all look surprised"

"Eh? Us?! No, not really!" Alvin directs a lie to be told for their own good, "We were just amazed!"

"Amazed?"

"Yeah, today you look better than ever!"

"Thank you" A cheerful smile arises on Marilyn's face, "Shall we go back to the inn, now?"

"Eh…I think I'll stay here. The Schrodinger's team is up next and since it's kinda given we'll face them tomorrow, I would like to know their strength" Alvin explains.

"Hmm…that's reasonable" The swordswoman glances at Sophia, "What about you, Sophia?"

"I think I'll stay with Alvin" The forgetful girl quickly answers, "After all, I'm the only one who hasn't been doing anything useful lately"

"Okay, have fun guys!" Without referring to the last Garrison, Marilyn takes her leave. Easily, Alvin and Sophia are left unsurprised by the change.

"She…is really mad at me, huh?" Cliff asks his friends without even looking at them, "She didn't even address me"

"Calm down, bro" Alvin kindly pats Cliff's back to support him, "You should try apologizing. It goes a long way"

"Fine…I'll try that one later" Cliff excuses himself and goes away from the arena.

"Poor Cliff" Sophia slowly shakes her head, "I hope things get better between him and Marilyn very soon"

"Well, if he never experiences any of this problem he wouldn't grow to be a good adult" Why do Alvin and Sophia keep believing Cliff and Marilyn are couples? "But for now, let's go get our seats"

"Yeah"

_Meanwhile, the Schrodinger is having a conversation too…_

"I couldn't believe it!! That annoying girl is pretty damn good!" Francesca loudly admits Marilyn's capability, "I admit I underestimated her before today!"

"Hm, that move was amazing indeed" Ted nods his head several times while replying, "She complies just fine with her accelerator"

"And from the way she prepares her stance, she is pretty skillful too" Franks adds, "For a body with fairly small stature, she is pretty strong"

"Heh, this is interesting" Instead of showing fear, Francesca shows the face of feeling challenged, "_Marilyn Westerfield The Spider Lily…I cannot wait to face you!_"

Although Ted can see the urge in Francesca, he still takes the responsibility to remind her of the more important matter at the moment, "Well, our turn is up next. So, we better be going now"

With her spirited expression still on her face, Francesca follows the other two to the arena. Not long after that, Alvin and Sophia arrive and take their seats. "I wonder what kind of show the Schrodinger will display today" Alvin voices his interest of knowing, "I bet they are having good time thinking because they saw Marilyn"

"Saw Marilyn?" Sophia loses herself again, "Doing what?"

"Oh, great…" Alvin sighs and chooses to ignore the sniper because the match is about to start below. On the arena, Frank is seen entering. On the other side, thirty five men are ready much like yesterday. The gloomy man takes out a pair of certain weapons from under his sleeves, catching Alvin's vision, "Hee….how interesting…"

_Later that night, at the inn…_

In his room, Alvin looks pleased. His smile has been decorating his face ever since his return from the dome today. "Did something good happen?" Cliff feels curious about the behavior of his companion and asks.

"I saw something interesting in the dome today" Alvin quickly lets him know, "Do you know that gloomy like guy from the Schrodinger team?"

"Frank Glooms? I thought he was a goth man, what about him?"

"He's actually a pretty good fighter. Since we are going to go up against them tomorrow I might as well challenge him for a duel"

"Well, since it's you…I don't think you will lose" Cliff throws a small pep-talk for Alvin, "You're the rightful heir of Chieftain from Baskar Colony, after all"

"Oh, please! Don't flatter me! I know you're up to a good thing, but I also know there's a shitload of fighters stronger than I am in Filgaia!" The Baskar native responds to the praise, "Besides, isn't that the beauty of fighting? You don't know who would win before the fight ends"

"That's true, cannot argue with that" The red eyed man shrugs his shoulder.

"Either way, why don't you make up with Marilyn?"

"Tonight?" Cliff rolls his eyes, "She is going to kill me! Didn't you see how she avoided me all day long?!"

"Yeah, that's why you have to make up with her tonight" Now, Alvin acts like the kind big brother he should be, "I think it's pretty clear she's going toe to toe against that Francesca tomorrow, and although we all know how credible Marilyn is…an unstable emotion might hinder her from releasing her full potential. I realized ever since coming here she seems to want to find something…or someone to that matter. I know the buff you got with her wasn't necessarily your fault, but would it kill you to talk to her? I mean, you're the man of steel! You're not going to die even if she tortures you all night long!"

Considering the advice carefully, Cliff casts his eyesight to the ceiling for a second before recalling things back, "_True…meant it or not, I was kinda at fault…gotta apologize…"_

"So? What's your call, dude?"

"You're right…" Cliff raises and shows a determined face, "I'll go"

"That's the spirit!" Alvin, out of excitement, crosses his fingers, "My fingers are crossed for you, dude! You're going to make it!"

"Thanks" The Crimson opens the door and goes outside. It doesn't take more then five seconds for him to knock on the girls' room.

"Yes?" Sophia opens the door, quickly revealing Cliff on the corridor. Although she has always been forgetful, the dark haired woman already knew why Cliff is here so she chooses to be wise and excuses herself, "Okay, I'll be waiting outside. The room is all yours, good luck"

Unknown to them, both Alvin and Sophia quickly regroup to eavesdrop from outside.

"Yeah" Cliff enters the room and slowly closes the door. Beside her bed, Marilyn is seen reading something looks like a novel. She is pretending Cliff isn't there, obviously. Nonetheless, Cliff does what a man should do, "Marilyn, can I talk to you for a second?"

"Can't it wait? I'm busy as you can see" A quick answer to dethrone the mentality, but Cliff isn't the man of steel for nothing.

"It can wait, but I prefer not to let it wait" The Crimson braves himself and takes a closer step to his soulmate, "Mind having a conversation with me for a moment?"

"I told you, I'm busy" The swordswoman doesn't even bother looking at him, "Save it for tomorrow. Why don't you do something more beneficial for yourself tonight?"

"Like what?"

"Like socializing" Marilyn cynically smiles, "You know, with your new favorite swordswoman"

"I only have one favorite swordswoman" Okay, this will sound romantic, "And that's you"

"Oh, really?" Marilyn takes a slow pace closing whatever book she is reading before putting her gaze on the trench coated man, "That's weird, just last night I saw you having a conversation, in a very friendly manner, with another swordswoman who supposed to be your…adversary"

"Not adversary, that's a strong word. She's just not on our side for now, that's all" A rebuff from the older drifter, "Either way, I'm not here to talk about that. I'm here to apologize"

"Apologize?"

"Yes, if what I did last night made you feel uncomfortable which grew to…anger, I'm sorry. Next time, if I wish to speak with her…I will…"

"You will…" Marilyn urges Cliff to finish his sentence.

"I will take her to a place where no one can see us, and that includes you, so I won't offend anyone" Cliff finishes his sentence in a shocking yet somewhat genuine fashion, "Well…that's according to Alvin, that is"

Of course, Marilyn can do nothing but slowly widening her eyes after listening such weird answer. And just like that, the two eavesdroppers outside cannot hold their laughter any longer. They laughed so hard they crashed into the door still laughing. Cliff and Marilyn are left ti wonder all by themselves. The laugh session lasts for at least a minute, leaving both drifters panting on the floor.

"Oh my…that was…a good laugh…" Alvin is still giggling when he speaks, "Cliff…I have never though you would actually take what I said for real"

"…you two are really cruel" Cliff slowly shakes his head, "Now, my apology is ruined"

"No, not at all" Marilyn ignores the other two and quickly ensures the red eyed man, "It's not…I…although I heard it in a weird way, I get it. I should apologize too for taking everything too serious"

"Then, we're cool?"

"We're always cool" Ah, a cool understanding from a couple of soulmates. Seeing how the problem is now cleared, Alvin and Sophia quickly regain their composure before going to the younger drifters.

"Come here both of you" Alvin initiates a group hug and all four of them joins, ending their night with a good mental preparation for tomorrow.

_Meanwhile, in The Schrodinger's room…_

"They sound so loud tonight" Frank notes the noise from outside, "I wonder if they are ready for tomorrow's…um, final match"

"Whatever it is, we should be ready for anything they could come up with" Ted confidently says, "We've been planning who should go for each of them all night long, after all"

"Hehe, cannot wait for tomorrow" Francesca taps her sword with a light smile on her face, "We're sooo gonna win this!"

_At the same time, inside the control room…_

Before Lord Begucci, Velma, and Janie, two persons are standing. Both are dressed in grey ceremonial full dress, with ensign of the letter 'P' on both their left shoulders. The man is a Hispanic man with a crew cut hair. His dark eyes match the stern look on his face. The woman is Caucasian with her brunette hair styled in French twist, matching of her brown eyes.

"Peacemaker Gomez Delphic and Peacemaker Brooke Timmons of the fourth division, I presume?" Lord Begucci addresses both peacemakers from World Union. The two simply nods as their answer. Glancing at her daughter, the older Begucci continues, "I welcome you to Gunner's Heaven. And as we planned it, the raid for capturing The Four Garrison will be executed during their match tomorrow. I hope this will be a grand success for both of us"

With that being said, the final match finally comes.

**Next chapter will be another big battle!!! Hope I won't blow this one off, c u next chappy (^^)!**


	8. The Wild Bunch

**Chapter 8**

"_**To fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting"**_

_**Sun Tzu**_

At long last, the awaited final round is finally on the fixture. Much like everyone has predicted, the control room seats are filled with the VIP members of the dome, obviously consisted of nobles and rich guys. Velma and Lord Begucci, seemingly minus their bodyguard, are watching comfortably among the guests. Today's match doesn't have referees or rules. When one of the groups cannot continue the battle, the other wins. As simple as that.

In the arena, The Four Garrison are having one last meet before the final,

A: OK, here it is! Final! We win this match, the money is ours!

M: That's one thing for sure. But let's not forget another thing: we got to ask the Beguccis anything we want to ask whether they want to spit it out or not.

C: Cool. So, you two are going to do the deed for us, right?

M: Huh? What are you talking about?

C: Look over there.

The group looks at their foes to find Francesca and Frank walking to the arena, seemingly ready to combat.

C: See what I'm talking about? That genius looking boy doesn't seem like he's going to battle. Marilyn got beef with Miss Schrodinger while Alvin wants to have a try out with the gloomy one. Ain't it perfect?

S: You mean, we're going to wait in the chairs while Marilyn and Alvin try to win this game?

C: Correctimundo.

M: Cliff, you can be ridiculously lucky sometimes you know that?

C: All too well.

A: Ok, we'll handle them. But in case of something happens, you two go support us okay?

C: Yep.

A: Good. Let's go, Marilyn.

M: Ok.

After the two goes, Cliff looks at Sophia and tells her, "Sophia, I'm going to take a nap. In case something happens to Marilyn and Alvin, you wake me up okay?"

"Okie-dokie" Sophia quickly answers. But after Cliff takes a seat and sleeps, she asks herself, "What was he asking again?"

With all the cards on the deck, the battle is about to ensue. Marilyn straightly goes eye to eye with Francesca while Alvin observes Frank. "You're Frank Glooms, right?" The baskar native starts off the final round by a proper introduction, "I'm Alvin Clarion, from Baskar. Nice to finally have the chance to speak directly with you"

"Likewise" A short yet convincing reply from the dark haired man, "I've seen your….um, moves during the first round, Clarion. You're well trained since you were young. That much I could tell"

"The same could be said for you, Glooms. You got good moves, especially using your arms. I need to watch those if I wish for my head to be intact"

"Coming from such a dangerous fighter, that is um…., flattering" Frank shades a little smile before advancing to a stance, "Shall we begin?"

"Let's do this" Closing their distance with each other, Alvin and Frank are ready to engage in combat. Alvin forms a fist and smacks Frank on the face, getting a reply in the form of a backfist to his jaw. The baskar native grabbed Frank's neck and head-butt him on the face; if it were a normal man he would have cracked. Frank throws another punch using his right hand with ice and cross punches the dusky skinned man, visibly hurting him. Frank thrusts some more jabs to the stomach ended by a hook to the face. Alvin retaliates by giving Frank a live shot after a shovel hook, continued by three more hooks to the face and ended by straight. Regardless the blood which is starting to pour down from their faces, both men are still standing. Frank delivers a hammer fist via his wrist to Alvin's neck and follows it with a direct uppercut to Alvin's jaw. Alvin counters via an overhead chop right to Frank's forehead, wounding his head and nearly knocking him down. Before the gloomy man could give a nice comeback, Alvin performs a quick jab. Fortunately before the jab connects, Frank connects a quick cross-counter punch to Alvin's face, effectively countering and stopping his attack at the same time. Frank gains the upper hand again by using a series of three short straight-punches applied to Alvin's stomach. The garrison breaks the attempt after a straight to Fenrir's face which forced him to step backwards. After staring at each other for several seconds, Alvin initiates another attack by grappling the other fighter's face and slams him to the ground, but Frank applies a gogoplata in a quick second by holding Alvin's upper back using both his legs before locking his hand behind Alvin's head and choking him by pressing his shin. Alvin tries to break free from the lock which would cause him to suffocate but to no avail, Frank locks him tightly and is maintaining the lock. Alvin stops retaliating and starts bagging Frank's head using several punches by his right hand so Frank would eventually feel the pain and grow tired of this lock and release him. After several punches, Alvin could feel the lock lessening but Frank forces himself to apply more power to the maneuver. The baskar native feels like he could hardly breathe, even if Frank lets him go his neck would still hurt so much. Finally gaining an idea, Alvin grabs Frank's arm holding him and rises to his two feet, slamming Frank to the ground and successfully releasing himself of the chokehold. Ignoring his injured neck, Alvin quickly bends forward in front of Frank, grabs hold of his opponent, and stands up, lifting Frank up and over and dropping him behind the back. Frank lands to the floor harshly, escaping a small flinch. Feeling a bit furious, Franks runs towards Alvin with his fists ready. Alvin ducks, hooks his foe left leg with his left arm, stands up and falls backwards, flipping Frank and driving him back first down to the floor, with Alvin landing on top of the gloomy man. Alvin quickly furthers the distance between himself and Frank as the dark haired man stands back. This is just the start of their fight and both men are already slightly battered.

"Impressive, just as I….um, thought" Franks throws an honest praise for his adversary. Other than his wounded head, Frank could also feel his back aching in pain thanks to the last three drops, "So not only you can move your kicks and punches in a quick succession, but you also have wrestling skills"

"That holds of yours are dangerous too, Glooms. My neck still hurts" Alvin admits his injury. But both of them look somewhat satisfied, "This is it! I've been wanting to meet guys like you to fight! Are you still in for the game, Glooms?"

"Oh, please" Frank notes, "Frank"

"Then call me Alvin"

On the other side of the arena, Marilyn and Francesca are locking eyes with each other. They are yet to unsheathe their treasured swords, but the intensity is electrifying. Noticing Marilyn has somewhat calming down from their previous encounter, Francesca starts, "I see you are a lot calmer than yesterday, Westerfield. Did anything good happen?"

"Why would you want to know that?" Well, do you really expect another reply.

"Because, I believe this has something to do with a certain red haired guy" Bingo! "And that certain red haired guy happens to be my new friend, so I feel the need to ask"

"Is it just me or you're good at pissing people off, Schrodinger?"

"I heard that quite a lot, so I guess yeah"

"And you take pride in that? How shameless" Marilyn begins her counter-attack, "No surprise you got no man interested in you"

"What?!" Marilyn just touched a sensitive subject…which seems to be true, "How dare you said that!"

"Oh, did I get it right?" The younger swordswoman seems amused, "Poor you, at your early twenties you haven't been touched by a man? Tsk, tsk. I cannot imagine the pain"

"You…you…" Now Marilyn finally gains the upper hand…

"Say, rather than goofing around in a tomboyish outfit, how about you go out there and find a man?"

"Enough, Westerfield!! I don't want to hear that from a little brat!" Francesca explodes and attacks back, "It's not like you've been touched by a man either!! And I'm not going to be surprised at all if you're indeed haven't!! Your appeal is nearly equal to zero!!"

"Say what?!" This battle has turned into hothead versus hothead.

"Ha!! Look at yourself!! You're a tiny underage girl with manly outfit!! And about your measurements…I don't have to say anything"

"That does it!" With all the talks having been thrown away, the two finally unsheathes their swords and clashes upon the release. The sound of the clash was loud enough to wake Cliff up, initially seeing the two swordswomen crossing swords with each other. Marilyn assesses the situation and quickly withdraws her Iskander Bey to send three slashes in rapid succession from the front. Francesca parries all slashes and counters with an overhead strike which Marilyn welcomes with a strong strike from below. The silver haired girl continues to gain momentum for herself using a powerful diagonal hewing stroke dealt from the opposite side of Francesca's sword. It nearly tears Francesca's face off if she wasn't fast enough to block it via changing her grab to her left hand and puts her right arm behind the opposite of the sharp edge to accommodate her defense, stopping Marilyn's attack mid-air. Still using her left hand to move her sword, Francesca performs a spin before quickly delivers a thrusting attack in one sidesteps toward Marilyn's unprotected right side. The garrison, however, deals with the attack by holding her sword to her unprotected side with the pommel near the back hip, with the point aiming at the Francesca's face. The taller fighter quickly steps backward and creates some distance between her and her rival swordswoman. Francesca takes the initiative to attack before she gets attacked by forwarding with a series of vertical slashes from both the right side and the left side. Marilyn blocks all the slashes and tries to find an opening to counter. Francesca cuts vertically only to be blocked and countered with the same vertical attack, which she dodged. The golden haired swordswoman crouches and strikes with a thrust. Marilyn withdraws before returning with an overhead slash which Francesca blocks. Knowing this battle would be stale and boring if this continues, both ladies steps back to further prepare their trademark moves. Marilyn raises her sword, preparing to unleash Guillotine while Francesca is advancing to unleash Tsubame Gaeshi. They realize whoever unleashes their move first might be the winner, so without further ado they both deliver. Marilyn strikes with an unseen horizontal slash from the right side to the left side and hits it with Francesca's three simultaneous slashes in one draw. Their attack collides and makes quite a sound; sparks are seen coming out when the swords are crossing. Although they are quite surprised their trademark moves could be fought, the two quickly engage back in their bout. The opening Marilyn's been waiting for reveals itself when Francesca withdrew her sword after another vertical slash. Marilyn quickly activates her accelerator and sneaks in to below the right side of her adversary. Francesca realizes the opening but it's too late, Marilyn attacks with a quick slash from below. Francesca could feel a certain pain rising around her ribs and quickly steps back, taking a good look at her wound. The attack scratched her right abdomen and went through her spencer, tearing some parts of it. Her wound is slowly spilling her blood out, and it hurts. "Ukh" Francesca tries to touch it and feels the pain, "That hurts…"

"That does, alright" Marilyn shows Francesca the blade of Iskander bey; its right side is colored red with her blood, "You shifted from your previous stand in the last second. Hadn't you do that, you're dead now"

"That was a sweet attack, Westerfield. I must give you that" Francesca ignores the wound; she is more interested in resuming the fight, "But the real credit goes to your accelerator. It allowed you to best my movement in a quick second. That was really dangerous"

"You noticed it?" Marilyn sounds somewhat disappointed, "I thought I hid it well"

"Yeah, but my brother noticed it and told me" Francesca notes the trivia before slowly sheathing her Shigure back to its scabbard. Marilyn, realizing she is about to take the fight further, advances to her stance, "Now, I'm going to repay your favor. Prepare yourself"

Back to Frank versus Alvin, the fight is continuing on a good scale. Alvin takes the lead by hitting Frank's lower torso after successfully landing a reverse side kick. The baskar fighter steps forward with a long fist punch to Frank's face continued by an arm punch. Frank retaliates by sending a chambered punch to Alvin's neck, reintroducing the pain on his neck. The dark haired man carries on the attack via another chambered punch to the face and a hammered fist again to the neck, this time knocking Alvin down to the floor. Alvin anticipates further attempt to attack him by tackling Frank's leg and bringing him down too. Frank, not wanting to be trapped in one of Alvin's possible hold, quickly rises as Alvin follows. Alvin nails a hook to Frank's face followed by an uppercut. Frank nearly loses his balance yet he quickly regains it and fights back by hitting an upset punch to Alvin's stomach. The gloomy man resumes the assault after grappling the back of Alvin's head and forcing him down to pummel his face with a front knee strike. Blood is visibly coming out from Alvin's nose and lips after Frank releases the grappling, but that doesn't stop Alvin from attacking back. Showing his talent on knee attack, Alvin suddenly unleashes a flying front knee attack from stand-up position using his left leg and hits Frank's jaw, spurting blood from his mouth as well as stunning him for a second. To finalize the payback, Alvin swings his right leg sideways in full circle and, with full power, kicks Frank's face to strike him down. That was one fine roundhouse kick from the baskar native. Frank could feel his mouth spilling out some more blood before slowly looking at Alvin from the floor, "_Doggone it! This guy is freaking strong! He could attack with any kind of attack I can think of!"_

"Hey, don't give me that face!" Keeping the friendly rivalry manner alive, Alvin encourages Frank, "Come on! It's been a long time since the last time I feel truly having fun while fighting someone! Come on, dude!! I know you could do better than this!"

"Heh…never thought I would…um, hear that from an adversary" Frank pulls out a pair of bronze colored tonfas and firmly grabs them with each of his hand.

"Now, we're talking" Alvin puts another stance. He remembers how easy Frank took down the whole gang in the second round using his tonfas just yesterday. This is going to be great. Alvin tries to measure how Frank is going to play his tonfas as his wild card. The baskar native knows all too well a hit from the tonfa could very well hurt him in the long run. Frank carefully steps forward, both tonfas on his hand. Tonfa doesn't only apply more power for an attacking force, but it also defends at the same time. In defense, if the handle is grasped then the shaft protects the forearm and hand while the knob protects the thumb. If both ends of the shaft are held, the shaft can be used to ward off blows and the handle can be used as a hook to catch the opponent's weapons. In offense, one can swing the shaft to strike the target. Large amounts of momentum can be imparted to the shaft by twirling the tonfa by the handle. The tonfa can also be wielded in such a way as to use the knob as a striking implement, held either by the handle or by the shaft. One can also stab opponents with the shaft of the tonfa. By holding the shaft and the handle of the tonfa together, one can use it for holding or breaking techniques. Alvin slowly moves to launch an attack; when he sees Frank isn't moving or giving any sign of moving. Alvin sends a long fist to break the ice but Frank quickly locks Alvin 's arm between both his tonfas and pulls Alvin closer to him. Frank hits a side knee strike to Alvin 's waist before striking his lower jaw with the tonfa from downward. Alvin gets stunned thanks to the two attacks, resulting on Frank applying three more consecutive strike with the tonfa to the older fighter shoulder and neck, giving more pain to the already injured neck. Alvin quickly retreats to give himself some space to heal but Frank thinks otherwise. To finalize his assault, Frank sends Alvin to meet the floor (again) by delivering a quick kick in the mid-air, preceded by a running start and jump, right to Alvin's face.

Alvin could feel his body in pain, his shoulders, head, and neck are all starting to bleed. Not to mention his face which already bruised. As expected, Frank knew how to lock using his tonfas. Standing back, Alvin prepares a stance and proceeds with care. But contrary to Alvin's prediction, Frank suddenly sprints and leaps to the mid-air, at full extension he bents his right knee and snaps his right foot to the side, impacting Alvin's upper torso with the heel as he hits a perfect Jump Spin Hook Kick. Alvin is forced to step aback several steps, but it wasn't enough to take him down for the second time. Frank hits his target's face twice with his left tonfas in a hook style punch before lifting the right one overhead and slams it hard to Alvin's forehead. Alvin feels his vision is blurred for several seconds, allowing Frank to connect another overhead attack to the injured neck, this time forcing Alvin to be down to one knee. To complete his job, Frank spins his right tonfa and, with another overhead smash, hits Alvin's neck and bring him down for two consecutive time to the floor.

Alvin couldn't believe this. Had he faced upward, Frank would be able to see his widened eyes. The baskar fighter couldn't believe the table turned just because a pair of tonfas. His body, especially his neck, bleeds quite badly and is in dire pain by now. Alvin rushes to Frank with a series of quick jabs. Frank shields all of them with his tonfas and slips an overhand hit with the tonfas to the face. A shovel hook comes up next to jaw before a direct hit again to the neck, all done by applying the tonfas. Alvin then feels his ribs hit by two jab strikes with the tonfas, followed by an uppercut hit to the head. Spinning in circle, Frank spins his right tonfa and connects a direct hit again to the neck of his target, this time sending him down to the floor quicker than the previous two. Frank observes his work; Alvin is not moving.

On the other side of the arena, Francesca is trying to add some counterweight. Marilyn, who's been patiently waiting for her to make her move, finally grows weary of it, "Hey, are you going to start or not? If all you could do is performing a stance like that you might as well walk out from here"

"Don't say that" Francesca seems to have planned something, "The real fun is just about to start"

In a quick step, Francesca appears in front of the unprepared Marilyn. With her right hand holding her weapon, she slice the blade edge horizontally across before drawing the weapon close to Marilyn. The shorter swordswoman, however, manages to block the attack in the last second. But she cannot conceal the shock on her face. Marilyn doesn't have the faintest idea how Francesca could suddenly close the distance between them just like that. But not time for that. Francesca performs a straight chop by swinging her Shigure from left to right upwards. Marilyn is, once again, outmaneuvered despite having the superior speed and forced to block the attack. A reverse chop from Francesca comes up next by swinging her sword from the left side to the right side. Marilyn bows to dodge the attack but Francesca swings her sword downward from her waist height. The swing is wide and downward, scratching Marilyn's left shoulder and wounds it. But Marilyn doesn't have the time to worry about that because another attack is coming; another swing gazes downward along the hacking sword. And at the same time Francesca moves into a bow stance. The silver haired girl manages to avoid the attack by withdrawing for several steps, yet as if she has been anticipating this move all along, Francesca thrusts the sword forward with one hand, sharp blade facing down, fingers of left hand touching the right hand, in a bow stance. The gaze and force of the thrust are directed to the tip of the sword, forming a straight line. The thrust nearly pierce its target's neck hadn't Marilyn leapt few second before the strike. "_What's with her?! Suddenly her moves and attacks became nearly unavoidable?! If I never had the accelerator in the first place I'm dead meat by now!" _Marilyn cannot help but wonder how Francesca suddenly gained the upper hand and nearly killed her twice. Now with enough distance between them, Marilyn thinks she got a proper time to retaliate. However, Francesca doesn't feel like giving her that chance. "Hey, Westerfield" Francesca calls her, "Would you like to dance with me?"

"…beg your pardon?" Marilyn frowns, obviously not knowing what the hell Francesca is talking about. Making her point clear, Francesca holds the hilt of Shigure with both her hands and starts circling before swinging her sword in a slow fashion. Although Marilyn feels awkward at first, she could feel something is going to happen so she begins to prepare herself. And then, Francesca performs a thrust from a far distance. Much to Marilyn's shock, she is sent to the floor after a certain something hit her Iskander Bey and brought her down. "_She…is using the wind and her sheer force to attack from that distance?!_" Now, who's the bright penny here? "_I never thought something like that could be done by someone other than Lord Green!"_

"Hey, now. Your face looks so funny" Francesca expresses her satisfaction before sending another wave of attacks, "Don't get too handful of them yet, Westerfield. More of them are coming"

Successively, Francesca displays the vertical cut, the horizontal cut, before performing the thrust again. Marilyn feels the wind and atmosphere around her change but could do nothing other than blocking all the upcoming attacks one by one. A wind attack comes from her left before another one joining from the front. Two slashes to counter them are enough, but another one shows up from above. The garrison slices the wave before turning her attention back to Francesca, but a horde of waves is coming. Trying to gain the upper hand back, Marilyn delivers a quick Guillotine for one giant slash to shut down all the waves. Unknown to her, that's what Francesca's been aiming for. Before Marilyn could regain her stance after delivering her technique, Francesca uses her better reflexes to move and performs the Tsubame Gaeshi. The unprepared Marilyn could only move her sword as quick as she could when she feels something passing through her. When it's all said and done, Francesca glances at the blade of her Shigure and observes the blood coloring it.

"Uh…" Marilyn slowly falls to one knee when she finds out her neck is bleeding on its right side. She could also feel her accelerator ceases to activate. Moving her hand, she touches the wound and feels its pain, "Damn…"

"Oh, I got you?" Francesca, still with his smile, cleans her sword while at the same time giving herself a break, "You blocked two slashes of Tsubame Gaeshi despite your earlier position, that's pretty impressive. Thankfully the last one connected, although not too deep"

"You…was that Yama Arashi?"

"Oh, you knew?"

"The unending wave of slashes, I 've heard about it from my mentor" Trying to ignore the pain, Marilyn directs the conversation to another road, "The dance like move and the sudden speeding earlier…they were somehow connected to your own physical ability, right? Is it your reflexes?"

"Bingo!! You got quite a brain for yourself, Westerfield! How do you realize that?!"

"Because you were so confident despite knowing I have an accelerator to support me. If you're not that fast from the beginning, which you weren't, the only other possible option is you have something to automatically allow you move in a quicker pace. Since you seem to be human, reflexes are the only thing I can come up with" This one sounds so surgical, "And your movement earlier with your sword wasn't too fast. I don't know how did you invoke your reflexes but it seems to me you used the wound on your left shoulder to 'activate' your reflexes to use it for your own advantage. The pain signals your entire joints and nerves to move even faster and faster. Pretty clever"

"Wow, never thought you could decipher all that" The golden haired girl throws an honest praise. But, of course, that doesn't stop her from continuing, "And how are you going to fight me now? I noticed your accelerator is cooling down"

Marilyn glares at her accelerator. It's not that she hasn't realized it yet. She has, but she tried to cover it as much as she could. Obviously, she failed doing that, "Hm…you're right. You got me in there. The accelerator will need a rest for at least ten minutes. But, so what?"

"So what? Are you sure you know what you are saying?"

"If you think my swordsmanship is depended on my accelerator, you couldn't be more wrong" Marilyn rises back and grabs the hilt of her sword with both her hands before moving it in front of her face, "Come, Schrodinger. I'll make you eat your words"

"We'll see about that" Francesca accepts the challenge as she prepares a stance as well.

On the spectator side, Ted is seen sitting beside Cliff and Sophia, "Hello, I believe we haven't directly met before. I'm Ted, Francesca's younger brother"

"I'm Cliff, this lady here is Sophia. Nice to meet you" Cliff properly replies before going straight on, "I assume you're here not only for introducing yourself?"

"Um, yeah. I'm here to have a chat actually" Same, a straight reply, "Are you enjoying the match?"

"So far? Yeah"

"Although your team seems to be…owned?"

"Owned? Oh, please! There's no need to say that!" Cliff laughs, much to Ted's curiosity, "They are having fun, although it may not look like it. But trust me, they are"

"Hm, you sound so confident"

"Hell yeah! I knew them, so I know they won't go down just like that"

And indeed they won't. Without the support of her accelerator, Marilyn doesn't seem to lose her confidence. She is patiently waiting for Francesca to make her move as she maintains her previous stance. On the other hand, Francesca isn't really sure about what to do, "_What is she doing? She lifted her sword and has stayed that way ever since. Is she trying to intimidate me? Or is she just implying what her move could be? Taking it to my account, she doesn't seem like going to move if I don't make my move first"_

So, Francesca takes it upon herself to move and attack with the same pattern. Her right hand is holding her weapon when she slices the blade edge horizontally across before drawing the weapon close to Marilyn. Marilyn simply moves Iskander Bey to Shigure's direction to stop its movement, surprising Francesca. Marilyn proceeds to withdraw her sword back and displays the previous stance again, waiting for Francesca to make her move. Following the earlier pattern, Francesca performs a straight chop by swinging her Shigure from left to right upwards. But the silver haired girl, once again, shocks her adversary by swinging her sword to her right and blocks Francesca's slash, before quickly returning to the blocking stance again. Francesca delivers another reverse chop after swinging her sword from the left side to the right side. And again, much to her dismay, Marilyn shields herself easily again. Francesca is starting to feel she's being toyed by Marilyn, but she cannot really tell how or what. The next swing from Francesca gazes downward along the hacking sword which Marilyn simply parries to stop it. Francesca moves into bowing stance and thrusts the sword forward with one hand, sharp blade facing down, fingers of left hand touching the right hand. Much like before, the gaze and force of the thrust are directed to the tip of the sword, forming a straight line. Surprisingly, even without her accelerator Marilyn could dodge this one by shifting a feet away from her previous point, leaving Francesca in blank, "_How the hell did she suddenly stop and dodge all my attacks?! Isn't she unable to use her accelerator?! Or is she pulling out a trick I do not know of?! Fine, if that's how you're going to play this game I'm going to do this!"_

Much like before, Francesca moves to make a certain space between herself and Marilyn before lifting her sword, preparing to unleash another wave of slashes. The wind surrounding the whole arena suddenly moves violently, even so that everyone could feel the change of its movements.

"Her finishing move?" Cliff asks Ted for some tips.

"Not yet"

Gathering her power in both her hands, Francesca launches at least thirty wind slashes to Marilyn's direction, scratching the floor and making screeching sound as they cut the air itself. The Yama Arashi blasts Marilyn and her surrounding, cutting a large part of the dome behind Marilyn into pieces and causing smokes to occur everywhere. Francesca is sure her attack hits Marilyn perfectly because there is no way she could block all that. And if she's right, Marilyn's dead by now. But she's wrong, so wrong. As Francesca's mouth forming an 'O', she sees Marilyn still standing, unscathed. "Let me repay your kindness by showing you the same slashing wave, Schrodinger. Prugelstrafe!" As if she is whipping, Marilyn performs a vertical slash to Francesca's direction. Francesca is too late to evade; the invisible long ranged slash hits her left arm, spraying her blood outside.

"Aaakh!!" Francesca falls to the ground and quickly grabs her arm to restrain the bleeding. But her eyes still indicate she's wanting to know how Marilyn bested her maneuver more than wanting to stop her wound from bleeding, "How…how could you?! You…you escaped all that?!"

"Relax, I'll explain" Marilyn sounds so high and mighty, "I believe your Yama Arashi could only be done in the same pattern. And redoing it in front of me would be useless since I memorized all your moves. I simply moved my sword to the direction which I knew you would choose. As for how I escaped your wave of slashes, it's a technique called Zornhau. A powerful diagonal hewing stroke repeated again and again by me for each wave. Simple, right?"

"Repeated slashes? I thought you couldn't do that without your accelerator?"

"Ah, wrong again. Don't you know accelerator could only fasten your legs and torso? My arms are already quick even without my accelerator. So blocking your attack relying on my arms only wasn't that hard, really" Wow, that's a total ownage right there!

On to Frank versus Alvin, their match is coming close to end as well. Alvin is displaying an unusual stance because he is moving with his right leg always in front of his left one. "What are you…um, doing?" Frank obviously feels weird seeing Alvin like that, "You're heavily wounded? Aren't you just going to…um, surrender?"

"Nah, don't want to" Alvin waves his hand to wave away that thought, "Fighters from Baskar could lose, but mustn't and don't want to lose"

"Up yours" Just one second after saying that, Frank could feel a vicious attack hitting him on the chin. Alvin just launched a high side thrust kick attack, which sees the baskar fighter use the sole of the foot to strike Frank's chin, preceded by a sidestep. Frank goes to the floor while coughing out some blood, visibly shocked by the sudden attack. "That's one" Frank could hear Alvin mentioning his first fall. If he guesses correctly, Alvin is going to take him down two more time. Now carefully rises and moves to a stance, Frank lifts both his arm to cover his face. His tonfas should at least add some defensive power for him. But before he could think of anything to attack Alvin, Frank sees Alvin jumps up and kicks forward with both feet in a pedaling motion with the foot that gets lifted second being extended fully to catch a himself directly in the face. His nose feels like getting sucked up to inside his face as Frank falls again with his nose bleeding. And if I may add, badly. "That's two" Alvin is heard continuing the count after the bicycle kick. Frank couldn't believe this. Just with two moves Alvin suddenly gained the upper hand again? "One more to go"

Now with Alvin's intention clear, Frank tries not too get caught up with his fast kicks again. Preparing his defensive stance guarding his face, Frank got owned…again. That's what Alvin has been trying to do. If he knocked down Frank twice by attacking his head, Frank would automatically guard his head, thus leaving the lower area wide open. Swinging his leg in semicircular motion after crouching, Alvin sweeps Frank's ankle from around his back and remains straight, leaving Frank in the mid-air. Rising back, Alvin executes the same kick and hits Frank's waist, sending him higher on the air. To finish his triple roundhouse kick, Alvin leaps and smashes Frank's face using the same kick in mid-air, sending him crashing to the ground after spinning uncontrollably. That was a great attack by the dusky skinned man, "And that's three. We're even now"

"Great work, Alvin!" Frank sounds really pissed after being taken down thrice in a row, "Let's finish this…um, now!!"

"All right!" Seeing Frank charges to him with both tonfas spinning, Alvin starts running before leaping to the mid-air and throws a back kick right to Frank's face, sending him down again. The angered gloomy man quickly rises back to find Alvin's shovel hook, done in close range halfway between a hook and an uppercut, hits his face from the right. Alvin smacks Frank with another shovel hook from the left and again from the right, gaining momentum as he maintains his upper hand. From his previous experience, Alvin knew he couldn't let Frank use his tonfas or he's done for. And the best way too prevent it from happening is by a quick close range attack by using either his kick or punch. Another shovel hook from the right to Frank's battered face is followed by a hard one from the left, leaving Frank somewhat limping and a bit dizzy. Alvin takes his chance to attack Frank's stomach using a front knee strike, resulting in Frank placed in a standing bent forward with his head placed between Alvin's thighs. Frank is then lifted up on the Alvin's shoulders before Alvin proceeds to lift Frank even higher by holding on to Frank's waist and extending his arms up, lifting Frank up off Alvin's shoulders just moments before slamming Frank down back first to the floor. His injured back has reached its limit and it hurts like hell; the last attack did a good job punishing it. Frank coughs out some more blood before releasing the grip of his tonfas, defeated.

"So?" Alvin tries to catch some breath seeing his foe down for the count, "Surrender?"

"Yeah…" Frank weakly replies, "I…give…up"

"Yaaaaaaaaay!!!" Interestingly, it was Sophia who celebrates, "Alvin won!!! Alvin won!!"

"See what I was talking about?" Cliff raises an eyebrow talking to Ted, "My team isn't so bad, right?"

"Ok…I got to admit that one. I never thought I would see Frank got beaten" Ted responds still with his calm tone, "But I see my sister isn't done with your friend"

"What? Hey, right. She's standing back" Cliff notices the swordfight is far from over. Francesca is standing back despite having her left arm wounded.

"You still want to fight?" Marilyn glances at Frank and Alvin, "I notice your gloomy companion has been defeated by my companion"

"I was kinda surprised knowing Frank has been defeated, but it's not like he didn't go down without a fight. Your companion is heavily battered himself" Francesca sheathes her sword back to its scabbard as she speaks, "If I can defeat you then my team could still gain victory"

"I don't think so" Marilyn shakes her head, voicing her opinion, "I still got two guys waiting. I don't know what that genius looking boy of yours capable of doing, but my two friends are more than enough to handle him"

"Is that so? What are they capable of doing?"

"The dark haired girl is capable of killing you without even seeing. And the red haired man…" Marilyn chuckles saying this, "For normal humans, taking him down is harder than taking this whole town down. Honest"

"Sounds like Cliff is a pretty scary guy" Francesca smiles looking at the ARMs wielder, "Cannot believe that until seeing it by myself, though"

"Knock yourself out"

"Well, this one is a service" Francesca notes Marilyn, "Take a good look at it, Westerfield"

Just with one glance, Marilyn could tell Francesca is about to launch Battojutsu. Her mentor once mentioned about the art of drawing and cutting in one fluid motion for the purpose of ending a conflict with one decisive cut. Learning these ancient techniques brings skills and abilities which are applicable in our daily lives: the confidence to face difficulties, to remain calm under pressure. Practicing with the sword harmonizes the mind, body and spirit, it also creates resiliency of the body and openness of the mind that allows one to find solutions in life which otherwise might not be found. A rare art from the eastern part of this world. Marilyn prepares her defensive stance in case something great comes up from Shigure. And as Marilyn had expected, Francesca unsheathes her sword and, in one swift motion, slashes the air. Marilyn could feel the area around her shook in an instant, and before she realizes it, a loud crashing sound is heard from above her head. Tilting her head a bit, she witnesses the ceiling of the dome has been cut in the shape of a circular disk of another circle removed from its edge, so that what remains is a shape enclosed by two circular arcs of different diameters which intersect at two points. Not only Marilyn, but Cliff, Sophia, and Alvin seem shocked too. Ted and Frank, however, are pretty much used to the scene.

A: That was pretty neat.

F: It's cool every time I…um, saw it.

S: Cool…

C: Yeah…that was cool…

T: Told you she wouldn't go down just like that.

C: Hm…speaking of which? What's that sound?

T: Huh? What sound?

C: The sound of at least six FV433 Abbot SPG tank closing to this dome. And I don't like the way it sounds.

_Back to the arena…_

"You…" Marilyn suspends her belief respond to the attack, "What did you just do?"

"Amakumo no Tsurugi" Francesca sheathes her sword again and prepares to deliver the move for the second time, "An invisible slash able to cut even the clouds. I told you to pay a good attention to it"

"I did" Marilyn answers back and prepares herself, "Let's do this"

But before they could do anything, an explosion occurs from behind the entrance as a FV433 Abbot SPG tank and at least thirty World Union soldiers make their way through the arena. This is such an interesting turn out. In the control room, the displeased guests voice their complaint,

"What is this, Lord Begucci?!"

"We haven't heard of the union coming here?!"

"Yes! And let alone bringing the horde of their soldiers!"

"Gentlemen, please calm down and let me explain" Lord Begucci tries to ease the atmosphere in the control room, "I know this is all so sudden, but Gunner's Heaven is doing this by the request of cooperation from the World Union. And the issuer of the request was no other than the leader of Division I Peacemaker, Trent Penfield. If you have a complaint, you can always tell him"

Upon learning the specific name issuing the order, all the guests stop complaining. "Good, it seems we finally reach an understanding here" Lord Begucci then sees his daughter, "Velma, would you please help our guests evacuating? This place is going to be a battlefield really soon…than it already is"

"Very well, father" Velma smiles to the guests and moves her hand, "This way, please"

"And Janie" Lord Begucci addresses his assassin, "Prepare yourself"

Return to the arena, a chaos is ensuing. "Hands in the air!!" One of the soldiers shouts to the four people at the arena, the other three at the seats are looking at each other and seemingly planning something.

"What do we do…..um, now?" Frank, still lying on the floor, quietly asks Alvin, "Just between you and me, my back still hurts like hell"

"And I can barely move my neck" Alvin doesn't feel like getting up from the floor either. He prefers the way he sits now because it causes less pain to his neck, "Darn! Where's Cliff when we need him?!"

"What is WU doing here?" Francesca seems surprised as well.

"My best guess? They're trying to catch us" Marilyn looks around her carefully before responding.

"I and my friends don't have bounty in our head"

"What's the difference? They could kill us all and cover it up like nothing ever happen"

"Sucks but true. Any idea what should we be doing by now? I don't want to surrender by they outnumbered us…and outmaneuvered us"

"We don't need to do anything"

"…why?"

"Because he will" Marilyn moves her eyes to Cliff's direction. The referred man already leaps in the mid-air, landing right beside one of the soldiers gathering in the entrance. When the soldiers attention's are attached to Cliff, Marilyn loudly tells the other three, "All of you, get down!!!"

"Good day" Cliff draws his Dreadnaught and quickly puts its hole to the forehead of the soldier in front of him, which covered at least two other me behind him, "And goodbye"

The moment Cliff pulls the Dreadnaught's trigger, an air piercing sound echoes throughout the dome when the bullet blasts the head of the soldier it targeted and strikes the head of the two behind him. The soldiers jaw dropped seeing it, "What?! He's an ARMs user!"

Cliff counted there are at least thirteen soldiers in the arena, not counting six inside the tank. With three down, that leaves ten more. The other ten quickly takes position and fires at will, striking Cliff with rain of bullets. Much to the previous situation, it proves no avail. Feeling amused seeing the disbelieve in the soldiers face, Cliff smirks, "My turn"

As Cliff points his ARMs, he instinctively points at the feature on the object on which his eyes are focused. An impulse from the brain causes the arm and hand to stop when the finger reaches the proper position. When the eyes are shifted to a new object or feature, the finger, hand, and arm also shift to this point. It is this inherent trait that is used by Cliff to rapidly and accurately engage targets. Seven air piercing sound greets the inside dome once again, blowing the torso of seven soldiers successively. Three more and the tank for Cliff; the red eyed man quickly reloads his ARMs and fires three simultaneous times to the remaining soldiers in less than five seconds before they can do anything. Well, not with a big gap in their stomach for sure. With the soldiers done for, Cliff sets his sight at the tank.

"Shoot him!" The men inside the tank make a good use of their artillery before Cliff comes up with something. A completely new ammunition family, comprising shells, fuzes and cartridges, was designed for Abbot, designated 105 mm Field (105 mm Fd), was designed for Abbot's L13 ordnance. It uses electrical instead of percussion primers, and compared to US 105 mm M1 type ammunition has longer shells. The widely used US M1 type round was called "105 mm How" in UK service. 105 mm Fd came in two marks, both separate loading (shell and cartridge loaded separately). 105 mm Fd Mk 1 was used initially, it had a UK-produced 105 mm How shell, mostly US pattern fuzes and reduced charge 105 mm Fd cartridges with their electrical primers (105 mm M1 uses percussion primers). Mark 2 adopted a new projectile design including an improved lethality HE shell (heavier with more HE) and full charge cartridges. Its shell types include HE, Smoke, Coloured Marker (Red and Orange), Illuminating, and HESH for direct fire against enemy armoured vehicles. Direct Action, Controlled Variable Time (CVT) and Mechanical Time (MT) fuzes were available for HE and Coloured Marker shells. Initially there were three cartridges. Sub-zones 1 and 2 were only used to provide short range in high angle fire, and were soon replaced by a plastic spoiler slipped over the shell ogive. Normal cartridge gave charges 1 - 5, each bag being a different colour in accordance with established UK practice, Mk 1 normal cartridge only went to charge 4. Both marks had charge Super, a single charge cartridge, although the charge was reduced in Mk 1. Charges 5 and Super used extended 'bags' that projected beyond the metal cartridge case. 105 mm Fd uses double (often internationally called triple) base propellants designated N in UK service instead of the single based FNH propellants favoured by the US. 105 mm Fd Mk 2 is still used with L118 Light Gun. Maximum range with 105 mm Fd Mk 1 ammunition was 15 km, Mk 2 gave 17.4 km. Maximum rate of fire was 6 - 8 rounds per minute. The gun was able to elevate to 70 degrees and depress to -5 degrees, sufficient to engage enemy AFVs if necessary. Traverse, elevation and shell loading and ramming were all powered by electrical servo mechanisms. Due to the number of charges and its compact turret Abbot did not have calibrating sights. Instead the sight mount had both Tangent Elevation (TE) and Angle of Sight Scales and a separate Gun Rule to convert range into TE, corrected for the muzzle velocity variation from standard. The dial sight had all scales internal, illuminated and viewed through a single eyepiece. Abbot was fitted with both line and radio (Larkspur B48, then Clansman UK/PRC 352) communications to its battery command post, which used the Apparatus Loud Speaking No 23, this enabled the gun No 1 to acknowledge his fire orders merely by clicking his pressel switch. Initially it also used induction loop communications for the turret and external crew. Shortly after the Field Artillery Computer Equipment (FACE) entered service in the early 1970s the Gun Rule was removed and Artillery Weapon Data Transmission System (AWDATS) installed. AWDATS displayed firing data transmitted from FACE in the battery command post via either line or radio. The Abbot was able to swim across water, having a flotation screen fixed around the hull which was raised to provide buoyancy. The action of the tracks was sufficient to drive it forward at about 3 knots. (cf DD Tank). Each Abbot was supported by a fully amphibious Stalwart Mk 2 High Mobility Load Carrier that carried additional ammunition.

But all that is nothing against The Crimson. As he casts his Lock On to the HESH bullet inside the tank's cannon, Cliff intensifies the grip on his Dreadnaught until the tremors set in. He keeps his sights straight in line. When the shot breaks, the bullet will strike the center of the target. Once it has been center-punched, the target will neither know nor care that the launcher was quivering before the projectile took flight. Any marksmanship expert will tell you that consistency of grasp is a key to consistent accuracy. Thankfully, Cliff knows his Dreadnaught inside and out. He has always accustomed himself to always hold a pistol with maximum grip strength, he is much less likely to ever have it knocked or snatched from his hand. Moreover, he now has the ultimate cure for a hand-gunner's malady known as 'milking'. 'Milking' taken from the hand's movement when milking a cow's udder, occurs when the index finger closes on the trigger and the other fingers sympathetically close with it, changing the grasp and pulling the sights off target. Most commonly, this will pull the shot low and to the side of what you were aiming at. It is a function called an inter-limb response. When one finger closes, the other fingers want to close with it. Before the tank could release its HESH from its leash, Cliff fires one shot which pierces through the HESH. Needles to be mentioned, an explosion emerges from inside the tank, killing all men inside it as well as turning the tank into pieces of junk. "It's done" Cliff then turns his attention to his two companions, "Guys, let's get out of here! More of them are coming from the outside!"

"Don't act so high and mighty! You were late! They could have killed us!" But what greets him is a protest from Marilyn.

"You think you're cool after letting us do the hard work, huh?!" And Alvin.

"Hey, I needed to make plan alright?! I couldn't just barge in! I could get myself killed!" A decent self-defense from Cliff, although it may be wrong.

"You?! Getting killed?! Oh, that's soooo funny I forgot to laugh!" Marilyn throws a dead-pan sarcasm to stun the ARMs wielder even more.

But one person doesn't seem to be taking the development quietly. "Hey, wait a minute!" Francesca shouts, obviously it's her first time seeing a bullet-proof drifter so it's normal, "You got crapped by those bullets but you didn't even bled?! Just what are you?! Are you made of diamond?!"

"Not quite, Schrodinger" Marilyn answers on Cliff's behalf, "Didn't I tell you taking down Cliff would be harder than taking down the whole town?"

"Yeah, but I never imagined him like that!"

"Relax, Schrodinger. You'll get used to it" That's a tip of decency out there, "You got any plan on escaping, Cliff?"

"Yeah, do you think you can still fight?"

"I guess, yeah"

"And what about you, Miss Schrodinger? You're okay to fight?"

"…seems so"

"OK, I'll lead our way through the entrance to get out of here. More of them are coming and if we're going to face them might as well face them in a wide space outside" Cliff speaks of his plan, "Marilyn and Miss Schrodinger, can you two help protecting Alvin and Frank?"

"Yeah…we could do that" Francesca answers much to Marilyn's agreeing.

"Sophia? You and Ted will help me in the front, okay?"

"Yup" Sophia answers before helping Alvin rise, "Are you okay? You can move, right?"

"Hardly, but I'll try my best not to hinder your movement. Thanks anyway" Alvin sounds so exhausted. It's normal considering he won in a close margin.

"Never thought I would see you down, Frank" Ted helps Frank rise, "You can walk?"

"My back hurts….um, so much. But I think I can walk" Frank responds in low tone.

"OK, we're all set to go" Cliff prepares his ARMs and heads to the entrance, "Let's go guys!"

_**That's it for chapter 8, guys. The rest of the battle will follow at the next chapter, c u!**_


	9. Desperados of The West

**Chapter 9**

"_**A weapon isn't good or bad, depends on the person who uses it"**_

_**Jet Li**_

On the outside area of the dome, the two peacemakers are accompanied by horde of soldiers and five Abbot Tanks. Peacemaker Brooke observes the dome right beside her peacemaker companion, "Gomez, is there any news of development from inside the dome?"

"Yes, Brooke. I couldn't contact any of our soldiers inside. That means the Four Garrison has made their move. And I wouldn't write off the possibility of the Schrodinger helping them" Gomez deducts all that by himself.

"Hm, this would be a hard task. If they come out here it would be seven of them"

"Relax, we outnumbered them. I watched their match from the monitor; at least Alvin Clarion and Frank Glooms are unable to fight for the time being. We can order the soldiers to take care of Sophia LeBlanc and Ted Schrodinger. The other three…we have take care of them just by the two of us"

"The three of us if I help you" Janie appears from both peacemakers' behind. Giving them a polite nod, she introduces herself, "I'm Janie, Lord Begucci's personal bodyguard from H8. I can offer you my assistance taking out one of those three"

"H8? The assassin guild consisting of 8 members?" Brooke quickly recognizes the infamous name, "Begucci hired a member of your guild to protect himself?"

"Precisely, Peacemaker" The assassin then notes the peacemakers, "There they come"

From the entrance, a loud bang could be heard signaling more of the WU soldiers coming.

Cliff in the front spots two Abbot moving to his group's direction. The Crimson pulls one of RKG-3 grenades from behind his coat and shoots one abbot on its optical periscope, making a hole in it as well as killing one man inside it after he got hit in the head. With precise accuracy and proper strength, Cliff pulls RKG's safety pin and throws it right inside the Abbot. A familiar explosion emerges from the inside, leaving one more abbot. The other abbot fires at Cliff with their Bren Gun to no result. Before stopping the Bren Gun with one point-blank shot from Dreadnaught, Cliff simply has to charge through them receiving all the bullets like nothing happened, just like always. The 6 soldiers inside the abbot could do nothing when the red haired man climbs their turret. Cliff holds his ARMs in a two hand grip. It is brought up close to the body until it reaches chin level and is then thrust forward until both arms his are straight. Hia arms and body form a triangle, which can be aimed as a unit. In thrusting the weapon forward, the firer can imagine that there is a box between him and the enemy, and he is thrusting the weapon into the box which is the turret ring. The trigger is smoothly squeezed to the rear as the elbows straighten out. Cliff can easily guess the exact location of all six soldiers just by listening to their rumblings. He quickly fires six bullets and hits all the targets, effectively disabling the Abbot. While reloading, Cliff signals his group to move forward.

"This guy is unbelievable" Francesca takes a chance to say something to Marilyn as the group progresses to the front, "Is he some kind of a terminator from the future? I mean, I've seen some pretty brave persons and I myself have been charging to opponents like that. But Cliff is…what to say? Different?"

"You're getting used to it, as I expected" A dry response from the other swordswoman, "When I first met him, I thought he was a universal soldier"

"When I first saw him, I though he was a monster" Alvin joins the talk.

"When I first saw him, I thought he was an alien" Sophia adds too, but quickly gained a goggled look from the others, "What? I'm being honest! I thought he was an alien!"

"What alien is bulletproof?" Alvin rolls his eyes. He could never understand why Sophia could be so weird, "I've watched some sci-fi movies but I've never seen a bulletproof alien"

"Guys, sorry to interrupt you" Ted ruins the fun for a greater good, "But here they come again"

Indeed, more of them show up. Ted moves toward the soldiers after withdrawing his ARMs, an AK-101 shotgun named Anahit. Anahit is a weapon that combines the logistical compatibility and familiarity of the 5.56x45 NATO round with the legendary reliability of a Kalashnikov. It is designed with modern and composite materials. Taking aim, Ted fires the soldiers in the head, upon previously realizing they used a body protector behind their uniform. He took down four men to reveal six more arriving from the front. Sophia comes to the front and shoots four times in rapid succession, aiming for the head just like Ted and wiping the path clear. But more of the soldiers come up, and they need to be taken care of quickly. Cliff sprints after he tells Ted & Sophia to stay behind while he's taking care of them. The thirty soldiers are aware of his presence and prepare for their assault. They fire at him unknowing it would do them no good. And indeed it doesn't, because Cliff keeps charging to their direction and ignores their initial shock. Cliff slides in the floor to make his way through them and stands back when he reaches their middle, totally standing among them. Quickly grabbing one shotgun from an unprepared soldier, Cliff starts his action by blasting away the head of the poor soldier with his Dreadnaught. Extending both his arms and aiming both guns on his hands to the opposite direction, Cliff fires to soldier at the same time before lowering his body to the floor and blasts away two more from below. Pulling both triggers four times, The Crimson performs a full spin and shoots the total of eight soldiers. Apparently, the soldiers cannot follow his speed. Who said he's a slowpoke? The soldiers want to open fire to him, but they know they would only hit each other as long as he's in the middle of them, and this leaves them confused. The red eyed man fires the shotgun four more times to make a good use of its remaining bullets as well as defeating four more soldiers. Again besting their maneuver, Cliff pulls one soldiers and encircles the soldier's neck with his left arm in a similar fashion to a guillotine before putting Dreadnaught's barrel in his forehead and blowing him off. Cliff quickly shoots one other soldier in the head before finally pulling the last straw for all the soldiers and causing them to run for their lives…typical WU soldiers. The two soldiers on the behind are unlucky because The Crimson pulled one of them and slams him to the back of the other, mounting both of them in the ground and firing his last bullet to pierce both men's stomach. While reloading his ARMs, Cliff waves his hand to his group behind as a signal their safety is ensured.

More of the soldiers show up; this time they come inside three Abbot Tanks from near the outside entrance. "Tsk, just a bit more and we can get outside" Cliff bemoans the hindrance, but nonetheless he quickly resolves, "One shot directed to the HESH inside their cannon shall finish them. But, we got three of them so you guys better hide. I'll take care of them"

"Nah, we cannot let you steal all the spotlight" Marilyn has a different idea and joins the front line, "I'll handle the left one"

"I'll go get the right one" Francesca soon follows, "Might as well seeing you closely. Just to ensure my eyes aren't fooling me"

"Then I reckon the one in the middle's mine" Upon stating it, the three goes to work. Francesca sprints and before the Abbot got the chance to shoot she's already in front of them. Swining her Shigure, the golden haired swordswoman delivers a Tsubame Gaeshi to cut the tank into three pieces, killing all six men inside it in the process. Marilyn activates her accelerator before heading to the tank; the soldiers inside the tank only got the chance to witness her afterimage passing through them. That proves to be the last thing they saw because they didn't see her applying Guillotine to them and their tank being cut in half. And that leaves Cliff who has been aiming to the middle one. He could hear the soldiers inside the tank prepare the HESH to launch anytime soon. Using his Lock On again, Cliff casts his gaze at the HESH inside the cannon properly and accurately. Cliff is currently displaying a Weaver Stance, consisting of gripping the ARMs with two hands in such a manner that the slight forward pressure on the grip of the hand which drew Dreadnaught is opposed by a rearward pressure on the grip of the second hand. This action aids in controlling the recoil of the Dreadnaught in order to stabilize the ARMs for subsequent shots. The moment he sees the HESH coming out, Cliff fires at once and penetrates the bigger bullet as another air piercing sound echoes; this time followed by an explosion sound. All the soldiers on the entrance area have been subdued.

"Okay, the only thing left is…the guys outside" Cliff informs the others as they proceed to go outside with care, "There's possibility they got a peacemaker or two out there, be careful"

Upon arriving outside, the street is filled with another horde of soldiers. On the top of one of the smaller buildings, the two peacemakers and the hired assassin are already waiting for their target. "Greetings, Four Garrison and Schrodinger" Peacemaker Gomez takes it upon himself to greet the bounty heads, "I assume you have massacred our soldiers inside, haven't you? As expected from famous drifters. But you might want to be wise and not pushing your luck any further"

"Cut the chit-chat! Are you trying to imply you can take us on?" Cliff really doesn't feel like chit-chatting for a long amount of time and cuts Gomez, "If you really got the balls to speak from up there, how about coming down here and show me what you're made of?"

"The Crimson, I presume? You're louder than I thought you would be" Gomez clinches his arms as if he's accepting the challenge, "Trent warned me about you. And that makes me want to try you out by myself. Fine, I'll take you on if that's what you want"

"Trent? Trent Penfield? Peacemaker number 1?" Cliff murmurs, "He's still alive, huh?"

"The Crimson? Cliff is The Crimson? No kidding… " Francesca finally recognizes the familiar name, "You better pray, peacemaker. He's going to fry your ass"

"How insolent, lady. Is that what a Schrodinger would say?" Brooke joins the picture, "Aren't you insulting your famous family by saying that?"

"I don't want to hear that from a group of murderers hiding behind the name of justice" Wow, that's rude, "And if you're not down with that, you can always give it a try"

"Oh, that's so insulting. Fine, I'll take you on" Now it's 2 against 2.

"Hey, hey. You can't have her, she's mine" Marilyn apparently wants to kill Brooke too, making this situation 2 on 1, "Why don't you go and take on those soldiers waiting like a dumb blond there?"

"What? Since when you can order me around, Westerfield?"

"Well, isn't it normal? Cliff is taking on the other peacemaker so this one should be mine!"

"Back off and watch how adult do things, girl! This dame's mine!"

"Mine!"

"Mine!"

"Mine!"

"You two are a joke" Bored of the situation, Brooke takes it upon herself to initiate an attack by summoning a number of rock made golems.

With that being said, the other four just can't stay watching. "There's no end to this" Alvin feels the number of the enemies is an audacity, "With those three hotshots there and this horde of soldiers, we will never catch Begucci or his daughter. Let alone escaping from this place"

"Maybe we will" Ted proves Alvin wrong, "Look at the across of the street? Begucci and Velma are running there. If we can go after them now, we can still catch them"

"But we got those soldiers, right? There aren't too many, but they will still be an annoyance if we let them"

"Leave them to Sophia and me" Ted suggests, "We can take care of them. Although you and Frank are injured, I'm sure you can somehow chase and take care of Begucci and his daughter, right?"

"If I cannot do that much, I might as well retire from being a drifter" As expected, because Alvin won't let his pride go down because of an injured neck, "You can move, Frank?"

"I think so, yeah"

"Good, then let's catch both of them. After all of this is over, we can grab a drink together"

"Sounds good, let's do that" And then the two goes for it.

That leaves Ted alone with Sophia to handle the soldiers and golems, "Sophia, I have a plan"

"I'm all ears" Sophia casts her eyesight on the approaching soldier.

"You go up to the rooftop of this building" Ted pints to a two storied building near them, "And snipe those soldiers and golems from the above. I'll handle them from the ground, and whenever I display a coin it's your turn to shoot them"

"That's a novel of an idea, Teddy" Sophia prepares her Silvia, "Let's do this"

Preparing his Anahit again, Ted doesn't forget his manner, "I'm in you care, Sophia"

"Likewise" Sophia replies with her cheerful tone before heading to the rooftop.

Without anyone noticing, Janie sees Alvin and Frank chasing after Lord Begucci and Velma, "Not that quick, you don't"

After the agreed plan, Sophia quickly climbs to the rooftop and finds a cozy spot to take her aims later. The WU soldiers come in group and quickly throw grenades to attack the youngest son of the Scrodinger family. Triggering the Anahit, Ted blasts all the bombs away in two scattered shot and bombards the soldiers to turn them into pieces. A golem emerges from Ted's behind and tries to hit a kick on his back, but it doesn't prove to be effective. Quickly whirling on his point, Ted throws a coin right to the golem's face and at the same time gives Sophia the sign she's been waiting for. The Sharpshooter shoots the head of the soul linker perfectly using her Silvia, completing the first step of her mission. Ted hunts three other golems, who attempt to throw some boulder attack on him. Without being told, three soldiers appear and support them by standing between them and Ted. Too bad they didn't learn anything at all, because Ted picks up three coins and delivers the coins to the soldiers in rapid pace. As the three soldiers all got shot in their head, Ted is more than free to blasts the golems from throwing a boulder. Another Golem comes from behind with a boulder ready on his hands and smashes Ted with it. Fortunately, Ted was quick enough to escape by shifting his body before firing at the golem. Four soldiers follow with their assault rife ready on their hands from four separate sides, however Ted bests them by outmaneuvering all of them using his coins throwing. Flipping four coins to the correct direction of each soldier, Sophia shoots them all and seals some other small victories for her side before reloading her ARMs.

The golems realize they must come up with something new if they want to win this battle, so they gather in one place and raise their hands above in the air. Noticing their doing, the soldiers buy them some time by attacking Ted again. Their effort is another fruitless one because Ted anticipates it by throwing a pouch containing coins to them. When their attention is caught by the pouch, Ted quickly pulls the strap of the pouch, showering the soldiers with coins. And at the exact same moment signaling Sophia to execute a consecutive shoots. Indeed, Sophia does. She successively fires the heads of the soul linkers in less than fifteen seconds, rendering all of them immobile and allowing Ted to move further. Regardless, it was too late. What the golem have been chanting was a powerful spell that merged all of them into one entity, a large sized golem; now thing is getting serious here. The Golem teleports himself right to Ted's behind and, not giving Ted any chance to retaliate, strikes the drifter from the back. Thankfully Ted was quick enough to shoot on the opposite point, using the recoil of his ARMs to force himself moving from the strike. Sophia sees this and realizes Ted would need her help. But there are still some golems and soldiers scattered all over the street.

After landing to the ground, Sophia aims her Silvia and fires one soldier right at his head, revealing four other more behind it. The Sharpshooter fires one other soldier in the head again before blasting the remaining three in quick charge. The sniper quickly sights five other golems heading to her direction from her left. Taking the advantage of her reach and her semi-automatic rifle, Sophia proceeds to blast a hole in their stomach, one by one. She starts from the left before firing at the one in the middle. The sniper takes quick glance and in less than six seconds, fires all three of them consecutively. She didn't even give them the chance to come anywhere near her. Having only one bullet left in the chamber, Sophia takes another magazine from behind her coat while observing her surrounding. There are still some golems left, and they don't give any intention on giving up from beating her. Setting ten golems as her next target, Sasha grabs the magazine with her left hand while shooting through them with her right. The Sharpshooter quickly reloads her Silvia with the magazine she just grabbed and attacks her targets again. She fires three of the soldiers from their behind in another successive manner, hitting their head with each shot. Another seven golems turn their back and rush at her, but the sniper shows no fear at all. Changing her plan, she kneeled down before blasting the leg of the golems seven times in a quick dispatching attempt, and she blasted their legs less than fifteen seconds. Now, the giant golem is the only one left.

Sasha fires twice to his head but it doesn't affect him much, only managed to steal his attention away from Ted. Ted uses this chance to do a point-blank shoot and fires all the remaining bullets on his chamber, causing the head of the golem to crack. Sophia deals the finishing blow by one last shot to the head to shatter it into pieces. "Well done, Sophia" ted gives the older drifter a thumbs up for their effort.

"Thank you, but I still have one thing to do" Sophia reloads her Silvia while looking at the direction where Alvin went, "I saw the gothic looking girl went to Alvin's and Frank's way. They might need some help"

"Ok, then I will try to get your jeep and prepare for our escape from here" Ted and Sophia agree for another plan and part ways.

Meanwhile, Janie chases her hirers and their hunters via jumping through the rooftop. Alvin and Frank don't go unnoticed by the father and daughter, however. "Father, those two drifters are chasing us!" Velma warns the older Begucci as they continue running.

"Darn it! We need to do something quick!" Lord Begucci glances at his daughter, "Are you ready, Velma?"

"On your mark, father!"

"Then, now!" Stopping at the exact moment, Velma draws her ARMs, a Walther P5 modeled handgun named Procell, while Lord Begucci also shows his, a Walther P99 modeled handgun named Pruflas. They aim to Frank and Alvin before starting to open fire. Alvin and Frank, despite the initial shock of the revelation of both ARMs, still manage to dodge and hide in the alleyway.

"What? They got ARMs?" Alvin displays his surprise rather soon, "Damn! This would be harder than I thought!"

"What should we…um, do, Alvin? I got no idea at all" Frank looks at the father and daughter before asking Alvin.

"I don't really know. With our injured state we can't do much…" Before Alvin finishes his line, a kick from his behind knocks him to the ground. Frank tries to anticipate the attack but also meet the ground when someone kicked him in the face, and it was Janie.

"My, my! Look what I found here!" Janie extends her fingernails, turning them into a claw, "A couple targets!"

"_No! We can't fight her in our current state!_" Receiving early information about Janie being an H8 member, Alvin knew there's no way himself or Frank could deal with her with their heavily battered condition. And more, Alvin doesn't like hitting woman. Janie attacks with two claw attack which Alvin evades, letting the attack hits the wall in the alleyway and cuts through it. One blow from the claw would prove devastating.

Janie jumps and tries to attack Alvin again but the target runs from the alleyway back to the street. It's not a good decision, however, because Begucci and his daughter soon shoot him with their ARMs. Despite receiving none of the bullets, Alvin grows weary of the current condition, especially after seeing Frank is still lying across the alleyway. The H8 member appears again and this time slashes three times from Alvin's right. Alvin could barely evade, but manage to come out unscathed. Being a seasoned fighter, Alvin could easily tell this girl is the weakest among H8. Simple claw attacks could be defeated without so much effort if he's healthy enough, too bad he isn't. The best he could do is defending against her while trying to make a chance to attack the father and daughter on the street.

"You're done, drifter!" Janie throws another slash attack, but all of a sudden Frank appears from Alvin's behind and grabs Janie's arm before throwing her to the ground, "Ukh! What?"

"You don't like hitting women, do you?" Frank whispers to Alvin as Janie gets back, "Then you better throw her, it doesn't count as a…um, hit"

"You're a genius, Frank!" When Janie attacks with another claw attack, Alvin performs the leg trip using his own leg to off-balance Janie, hence causing the opponent to fall to the ground. Janie quickly rises but Frank takes his turn to grab one of the legs of his opponent with both hands, and using the position to force Janie to the ground. The lower part of the leg was pulled by Frank in one direction, while the torso or shoulder is used to press the body or upper part of the leg of the opponent in the other direction. Janie rises again but this time Alvin goes for the honor by grabbing Janie with both arms around the opponent's legs while keeping his body close to the H8 member, and using this position to force the opponent to the ground. "Now, run!" Alvin calls the shot as he and Frank runs to the other corner of the alleyway, welcomed by the bullets from Begucci and his daughter. Finding a spot to hide for a moment, Alvin calculate a plan, "Listen, we need to take those two Beguccis down first before dealing with the H8 assassin"

"So, what's your idea?"

"We go to the rooftop and ambush them from above at the same time"

"But they might notice our presence, Alvin"

"I know, that's why we use this" Alvin shows Frank two gas grenades on his hand, "I stole this from the soldiers inside the dome earlier. If we can subdue both Beguccis in one quick attempt, we can deal with the H8 girl together"

"Ok"

The plan goes as planned when Alvin and Frank climbs the rooftop of two different buildings. Begucci and Velma shoot at them scarcely, obviously not hitting any of them. Janie decides to go after Alvin first and chases him through the rooftop. Closing his distance with the Beguccis, Alvin notices Janie trying to ambush him from behind. Suddenly, Alvin falls to the ground by intention and grabs both Janie's arms while moving his right leg backward, throwing Janie off the rooftop landing right at the street. Frank throws the gas grenade and causes a smokescreen, making Begucci and his daughter panicked.

"Father? Where are you? I can't see you!"

"On guard, Velma! They might attack!" Truer words can't be said. When Alvin throws another gas grenade to conceal both Beguccis' vision, Frank lifts Velma from the ground and throws her over the shoulder, knocking her out cold in an instant. Lord Begucci could only watch when Alvin appears in front of him and brings up his right knee, and then swiftly turning the hip over and snapping the leg outwards from the knee to deliver a strike with the ball of his right foot directly to Begucci's face, K.O-ing him with one direct roundhouse kick.

"All right!" Alvin shouts to signal Frank of their victory, but Janie suddenly emerges from the smoke with her claws ready. She is slightly battered because of the fall, but she could still move.

"Die, the two of you!" Before the H8 member could connect her attack to the two fighters, a firing sound could be heard echoing in the street. Janie falls down to the ground following a bullet piercing her right at her heart. It was Sophia shooting her from afar. When she was presented with a target, Sophia brought the rifle up to her shoulder and quickly fired a single shot. Her firing eye looks through or just over the rear sight aperture. And she used the front post to aim at the target. Using this technique, a target at 25 meters or less may be accurately engaged in one second or less. And she hit a bulls-eye.

But it doesn't end there, oh no it doesn't. "Youuu!" Despite having her heart shot, Janie rises again ignoring her wound and turns her attention to Sophia. The latter is maintaining her position. Sophia stays calm, she knew reckless behavior facing a sniper only means death. Janie sprints to Sophia's direction, hoping he would reach her standing before she shoots again. To anticipate Sophia's further attacking her, Janie jumps to the rooftop over the street. But she doesn't know that fruitless against Sophia. Using her emission magic, Sophia shoots once and controls the bullet to chase Janie. The target strikes the bullet down above only to find three more bullets coming up. Janie slashes all three mid-air, before knocking down another two from her behind. Before Sophia could reload, the assassin land on the ground, only 50 more meters from the sniper. Janie leaps to the air and quickly appears before the sniper, throwing a claw attack on her. But magically, the Sharpshooter outmaneuvers the assassin and shoots her in the face, point-blank. Janie is flung across the street with her face destroyed. "Pathetic manner of battling a sniper" Sophia murmurs to herself seeing the assassin. Although something doesn't feel quite right for her.

"Job well done, guys" Sophia tells herself the moment Alvin gives her a two thumbs up, followed by Frank doing the same thing.

Gomez leaps and lands right in front of Cliff, making the vast difference in their height totally visible. Gomes is at least one foot taller than The Crimson, "Allow me to introduce myself first. I'm Gomez Delphic of The Peacemaker, Division IV"

"Division IV, that means you're only the fourth best?" Cliff mocks the peacemaker right away, "Too bad, I was expecting one of the top three"

"Don't get too cocky with your status, Crimson. I might prove more than you can handle"

"Not really" Not giving Gomez the chance to do anything, Cliff points Dreadnaught at the peacemaker's head and pulls the trigger. A hard impact voice resounds after the hit, but the effort proves fruitless because Gomez is still standing. The only mark from the shot came from his bleeding forehead.

Touching his blood, Gomez comments the effort, "Nice shot, Crimson. A compressed semi-automatic anti tank rifle…that surely would fool anyone thinking of it as a normal handgun"

"Hee…you're hardheaded yourself, huh?" No pun intended.

"Oh, you don't look surprised your attack didn't work?"

"No, because I've seen this many times years ago"

"Good, then I shouldn't waste any more time with you" Gomez put touches his palms together, causing his body to enclose in a sphere like black ball. Cliff retreats several steps in case something unpleasant happens when the ball grows bigger and a giant hand comes out. The thing inside the ball breaks through, revealing itself to be a large, bulky, and somewhat featureless creature in the shape of a man made of diorite rock, having broad shoulders and muscular solid stature. The creature has large heavy jaws from which protrude sharp, tusk-like teeth, heavy brows, a broad and flat snout-like nose, and pointed ears. And needles to say, the creature dwarves Cliff in a great deal.

"Is that you peacemaker?" Cliff tries to assure himself he's not seeing things, "Wow, your inner self is uglier than you actually look?"

"**Keep making fun of me, Crimson. Your chance won't last any longer**" With his new look, Gomez compacts his fist and brings it down upon Cliff using the side of his hand. Cliff receives the punch directly and is knocked to the ground. The peacemaker runs by lowering his arm and tries to hit Cliff with a lariat. Cliff regains his stance and shoots Gomez left leg three times, but much like before his shot couldn't do much damage let alone stopping the peacemaker. The lariat connects and the drifter is sent back to inside the entrance hallway in the dome. Cliff pulls out his shears and smashes Gomez's waist with it when he's closing before giving him two more blasts in the neck with Dreadnaught. But that is yet to fruit something. Cliff receives another punch done the rear hand to the face and then some more jabs before an arm punch to the forehead, taking him down again. Gomez stomps the drifter three times to the ground but Cliff catches his ankle before stomping for the fourth time. The Crimson, wielding his Dreadnaught as if it were a club, smashes Gomez's right knee three times while using his ARMs as a blunt weapon. Too bad that only provokes Gomez even more. The diorite man grabs Cliff by his collar and throws him to the wall. Cliff meets the floor only to be grabbed by his back and thrown to the wall again. Damn, that must be hurt! The Crimson doesn't go down without fight, however. Cliff quickly reloads his ARMs and shoots Gomez's right knee four times before receiving another jab to his face. The red eyed man retaliates by firing his remaining four bullets again to the right knee of his enemy and gives it a punch from his own. Gomes hits Cliff with an elbow strike to the back of his head which results on Cliff smashing his face with his ARMs. Cliff smacks his face three more times before connecting a cross punch to the peacemaker's hardened face. An uppercut follows after a backfist, and then another two hits from the chamber to the stoned forehead of Gomez. Cliff then jumps off the top of the floor and executes the dropkick on Gomez's right knee for the umpteenth time today. But after an upset punch started with his fist in the chambered position, with the palm facing downwards, delivered to Cliff's abdomen, Gomez stops his assault. The peacemaker makes a quick work to stop Cliff from further retaliating by lifting his opponent up over his head with arms fully extended before lowering his arm under the head of his opponent so that Cliff falls to that side, while flipping over and landing on his back. Not stopping there, Gomez pushes Cliff upward by reaching under his legs and lifting him into the air again. While retaining the hold on the opponent's leg, Gomez proceeds to fall backwards, dropping Cliff front-first into the floor. Cliff starts to bleed, especially from his head, after constant attacking. But unfortunately Gomez isn't done yet. The peacemaker, while standing in front of The Crimson, reaches between his opponent's legs with one arm and reaches around the red haired man's back from the same side with his other arm. The diorite man lifts Cliff up so he is horizontal across the Gomez's body then falls backward throwing the opponent over his head down to the floor back-first. Cliff slowly stands back, feeling the injuries starting to catch up with him. Gomes strikes with front knee strike which stunts the ARMs wielder and nearly sends him down to the floor again. But Cliff had enough of the strikes. Displaying his sheer physical strength, Cliff quickly faces Gomez from the right side, slightly behind. He tucks his head under his opponent's near armpit, and grabs hold of Gomez's near right leg, bending it fully. Cliff then lifts Gomez up and slams him downwards, impacting the diorite's bent leg on his knee, weakening the right knee even more. The drifter reloads while seeing Gomez rising back and shoots his right knee eight consecutive times in quick succession using an AIMED point shooting after placing his index finger alongside the gun and parallel to the bore. The middle finger is then used to pull the trigger rapidly. Not giving Gomez any chance to come any closer, Cliff changes his grip into a two-handed grip, where his index finger off hand pulls the trigger, again leaving the normal trigger finger free to aim the gun fast, naturally, and accurately for eight consecutive times. Gomez finally feels a dire pain on his right knee and stumbles to one knee, staring directly to Cliff's eye, "**You retaliated well with your suppressive fire, Crimson. But that's about the only thing you could do**"

"Oh, please! That's just a warm up!" Cliff smirks reloading his ARMs, "Your stone is so hard to be penetrated. I can tell it is made of many layers, no? Is it granite?"

"**Diorite**" Gomez explains, "**Diorite is an extremely hard rock, making it difficult to carve and work with. It is so hard that ancient civilizations used diorite balls to work on granite. Its hardness, however, also allows it to be worked finely and take a high polish, and to provide a durable finished work. It became more popular as a structural stone and was frequently used as pavement due to its durability, mostly for fortress walls or weaponry. In fact, perhaps diorite is the hardest of all stones**"

"Wow, that's pretty impressive!" The Crimson responds, "But it's not like you are totally impenetrable. Sooner or later, you're going down"

"**Is that why you kept aiming at my right knee?**"

"Precisely, peacemaker. No matter how thick your stoned skin is, it has its own limit. And my Dreadnaught is going to show you that limit. I will destroy your knee, sooner or later. And it's effective, because no matter how freaking big you are you still need both your legs to stand" A simple yet effective logic, "This is just a friendly reminder, when it does break it will be really really painful. So, be prepared"

"**No, you be prepared!**" Gomez resumes the battle by sprinting to Cliff's direction. Cliff shoots Gomez three times in the right knee before receiving a reverse side kick which begins from a high chamber as opposed to the straight through motion of a back kick using the footsword as the attacking tool. Cliff retaliates by sending an uppercut to the diorite jaw, only to receive a head-butt to his forehead in return. Cliff connects another strike using his Dreadnaught which sends the diorite man three steps back, a chance The Crimson uses to blast his right knee three more times before having to stop after a front kick which involves rising a knee of striking leg to the position in which desired point-of-impact, one's foot and pelvis are on the same line before straighten the striking leg quickly and make contact with Cliff's lower torso. Cliff moves back forward by blasting the remaining to bullets in the chamber to the usual target before sending a superman punch to the jaw, lunging toward his opponent pushing off with the back foot punching with the opposite arm of the leg used to push off with, which sees Gomez down to the floor. Gomez taps once to the floor before two large sections of rock appeared behind and in front of Cliff, crushing him with an instant pressure two seconds after they appear. It seems Gomez can also use earth magic to his advantage. The attack proof fruitless, however, when Cliff scrap the sections using a single punch from the inside, barely bleeding. Gomez summons three other sections, floating them in the air, and parts them into dozens before firing them at Cliff. The Crimson throws four RKG-3 grenades at once to the air to swipe the rock bullets away but he fails to notice Gomez sneaked up to in his side and gives him another hard hitting punch, yet it's not enough to bring him down this time. Cliff gives another stroke from Dreadnaught to the face, repaying the favor from Gomez earlier. The diorite man sees himself reach between Cliff's legs with one arm and reach around his opponent's back from the same side with his other arm before then lifting the red haired man up over his shoulder. From this position Gomez falls forward to slam Cliff against the mat back-first. A sound of creaking could be heard upon the initial impact. The battle prolongs into another full-contact close ranged battle. Cliff moves back to attacking position, already reloading his ARMs, and lifts Gomez across his shoulders, pulling the Gomez's arm over his farthest shoulder and distributes the diorite man's body over his shoulders while having the other hand between and holding onto one of the opponent's legs and stands up. Cliff then falls forward, slamming Gomez in the hard concrete floor causing another creaking sound. Gomez hits back by sending Cliff to the mid-air after a shocking rock section from below hitting the drifter. The ARMs wielder rapidly regains his point-shooting stance after landing, and shoots all eight bullets to the attacked right knee consecutively without giving his target a chance to evade. Gomez summons three other sections and mails them to the drifter's direction. Cliff reloads his Dreadnaught before shooting all three with perfect precision, leaving five more and spotting Gomez sprinting towards him. With five remaining bullet on his chamber, Cliff quickly turns into Chapman stance. Chapman uses the same push-pull tension which defines the Weaver as he depicted when he shot all the attackers inside the dome previously, but instead of both elbows being bent, the gun side elbow is held straight and locked in place. Since Cliff is right-handed shooter, the right arm is punched straight out, while the left elbow is bent and the left hand pulls back to provide tension. As a result of this change, cliff gets its stability from both muscle and skeletal support. Cliff fires all the five bullets right to right kneecap of Gomez. Gomez pauses stepping, finally feeling pain on his right knee. Cliff smiles knowing his attempt bears fruit after all. Cliff reloads and maintains his Chapman stance to shoot Gomez eight more times, briefly reliving his momentum. Gomez, however, got no intention of enduring the possible threat any longer. Gomez taps once into the floor and causes the floor in the surrounding area to rise up and over the drifter and create a cavern, imprisoning Cliff. Gomez then condenses the floor below Cliff and shapes them into spikes that protrude from the ground in order to skewer the red eyed man. Cliff receives all the attack but none of the spikes penetrate him, as expected. The drifter throws an RKG-3 to set himself free and blows away the small cavern.

Gomez shakes his head seeing his foe alive and well, "**What are you? Can't you just die?**"

"Nope. Can't for now" Cliff mocks the diorite man, "What? Surprised seeing a man harder than you?"

"**It does remind me of something…**" Gomez replies, "**The Myrmidons…The Society's special ops unit consisted of advanced level soldier both in combat ability and physical density**"

Cliff's smile turns into a shocked face, but he gets the better of his own emotion quickly and puts a grin, "That name brings back memories alright"

"**Hm? So you were once a Myrmidon too…**"

"So what if I was? Is that supposed to be a big deal?" Cliff throws an RKG-3 to Gomez all of a sudden, successfully landing an explosion on the surprised diorite man. That explosion, however, wasn't enough to pierce through his solid physique. But that isn't Cliff's intention from the beginning; he only needs a distraction to resume shooting Gomez's right kneecap eight quick times while running with his shears on his left hand. The Crimson bludgeons the right knee with the shears twice before being stopped by a diorite hook to the face. Cliff smacks Gomez face back but receiving a hit to his stomach in return. The drifter attempt to reload his ARMs but Gomez grabs his wrist and slams him to the wall, forcing him to drop his shears. Cliff is then sent off flying across the hall by Gomez after being thrown, landing on the arena inside the dome.

"**I will not allow you to do as you wish anymore, Crimson**" Gomez enters the stage as Cliff goes back standing, "**Prepare yourself, this is going to end soon!**"

Things don't go so smoothly either for Francesca & Marilyn on the street. Peacemaker pairings are based on their level of power. Facing Brooke, that means Francesca is facing someone with the capability more or less the same with Gomez, only slightly different. The difference lies in their capability of governing the land. If Gomez is able to turn himself into a diorite man and use earth spells, Brooke is capable of creating weapons from rock and rock golems being a large hominid-like creature covered in long dark hair in a hunched posture and swinging their arms in a similar fashion to a monkey; numerous of them. Brooke previously summoned a horse made of rock and armed herself with a rock lance complete with a rock buckler, making her look like a knight riding a horse. With the army of golems ready to assist her, she is prepared to combat the two swordswoman. The density of her rock is far inferior to Gomez's diorite because it's just a simple normal rock you can find on streets, but she isn't to be taken lightly.

Brooke opens with barrage of rock shots from her hand, while she herself dashes to Marilyn's right. Marilyn stood her ground, deflecting the charged attack with one slash of her sword. She then easily sways some more rock shots before colliding her sword with Brooke's lance, causing a massive reaction in the mid-air. Brooke quickly lifts her axe-club to create some space in order for her to move the massive weapon and slams it again to Marilyn's direction. Francesca is interrupted from helping Marilyn from the attack by the rock golems. Since the rock golems are fairly not too hard, Francesca slices two of them with one attack before taking out two more with another slash. Another three golems tries to maim her from behind but she quickly notices and retires them.

Marilyn takes three steps back and prepares her Guillotine to further resuming the battle, and then the swordswoman goes on to charge towards the peacemaker using the speed brought to her by her accelerator. Brooke anticipates her attempt by increasing the density of her giant rock shield before charging in high speed with the help of her rock horse. As the two clashes for the second time tonight, another loud resounding voice could be heard.

Both are evenly powerful given they used fairly same technique, so it results on yet another steps backwards for them. Alas, they don't feel like holding back or stopping at all. Marilyn charges again, this time counting on her normal slashes. She throws three slashes from upfront which Brooke parries skillfully with her rock lance. The peacemaker returns her effort by executing a thrust attack in very close range; fortunately Marilyn manages to dodge it before it hits her and seals this chance by using the long rock lance as a stepping stone to get closer to its wielder and attack her with a direct slash; yet again Brooke casually shields herself using her formidable shield, forcing both fighters to take several steps away from their respective foe to find a better chance of winning this battle.

Both fighters bear the same mind when they both charge toward each other at the same time again, engaging in another close range combat with their preferred weapons. Marilyn parries carefully against the longer weapon which her foe uses to strike some simple thrusts. The swordswoman takes initiative to take the battle into a higher level by mauling the lance with a hard strike, to no avail. The lance didn't get affected at all. After Brooke takes one step back and creates some space to unleash an attack, she barrages Marilyn with dozen lance thrusts in an unimaginable speed. Felicia, however, quickly anticipates her being beaten to pulp by making a good use of her accelerator as she successfully evading the deadly thrust.

"_She's good!_" Marilyn tells herself the proven fact so far, "_I need to do something if I want to defeat her!_"

But Marilyn doesn't have the chance to do so because Francesca suddenly heads toward the peacemaker, leaving Marilyn with golems to tend. Francesca seals the perfect chance to attack when the series of barrage to stop before attacking again, and when it finally stops the swordswoman comes out from her sanctuary to maul the peacemaker with an overhead strike. Skillfully, Brooke steps away from her reach to create some distance between them. Realizing she won't win this battle just by striking around carelessly, Francesca plans a formula for her next several steps. Brooke apparently reads what she has in her mind, silently waiting without making a noise. She wants to know whether the brave lady in front of her is indeed a worthy opponent; because the silver haired one before her has proven herself to be one.

Well, Francesca isn't the second daughter of The Schrodinger family for nothing. Her brain is as good as her looks. Formulating the idea thoroughly, she proceeds with care when she throws her scabbard to the peacemaker. Brooke dispatches the attack by a simple smash with her rock solid shield and wastes no time to lift her lance and charge through his smaller opponent…and that's what Francesca has been expecting all the time. The blond haired lady hits her Shigure on the ground and unleashes Yama Arashi wind attack, wide enough to cover the area where the rock horse is running.

The plan successfully caught Brooke off guard and conceals her movement. Although she doesn't seem to be too bothered, her horse roaring of pain is an undeniable proof that the tactic works. Francesca sees the opportunity as a sure win and rushes with her full speed before leaping six feet in the air with her Shigure ready to thrust rock solid horse. That's what she has been aiming for, because she knew the horse is her opponent greatest mean of mobility simply because with her large sized weapons she couldn't move fast without a support for her own.

Unfortunately, Brooke is hardly a fool. Out of nowhere, she unleashes a sudden thrust to the air despite her imbalance stature. The two thrusts collide with each other and again force both fighters to take several steps back. "Damn, she's good" Apparently, this one time, Francesca agrees with Marilyn.

"She sure is, Schrodinger. Now, would you be a good girl and let me handle her?" Marilyn slight pushes the older swordswoman out of the picture.

"Can it, Westerfield! I was winning!"

"No, you weren't!"

"It's not like you were either!" The two girls engage in another stare down. But they are soon interrupted by the weary Brooke.

"Little girls….fighting over something trivial" Brooke rolls her eyes seeing the two, "Maybe you two should focus more on your surrounding"

Brooke's right, she got a dozen golem try to attack the two swordswoman without them noticing. Marilyn slashes three on her left while Francesca dealing with two from the behind. Brooke joins the party by delivering a pierce attack using her giant lance, but Marilyn charges up front with her Iskander Bey and throws a direct hit to the peacemaker's lance; causing both weapons stop from moving further. The clash creates a spark, indicating how hard both hits were. Francesca assists the younger swordswoman by trying to connect a horizontal slash from Brooke's below but Brooke spins her lance and ceases the attempt, giving the two eight more golems to deal with. Marilyn executes her Guillotine, killing all eight and giving Francesca a chance to close in to Brooke. Francesca closes while executing Tsubame Gaeshi, but Brooke dispatches the attempt by summoning three golems in front of her, letting all of them receive the three instant slashes. Marilyn comes up next with a thrust attack but is stopped by the same piercing attack.

The Spider Lily withdraws her sword to create some space for more attack before hitting the peacemaker's lance again, this time with her Guillotine. It cracks the lance, but wasn't enough to completely destroy it. Right after the clash, a slightly different golem, bigger than the rest, appears and attacks from Marilyn's behind by throwing a boulder. Francesca slices the boulder to half and stabs the golem in the head, but it doesn't stop his movement despite the fact it was a direct hit. The golem tries to punch the swordswoman but Francesca quickly moves back and avoids getting hit.

"Meet my strongest golem, Fauke. He isn't easy to be destroyed" Brooke briefly introduces the new player on the game before trying to pierce Francesca and letting Fauke handling Marilyn. Fauke carries on his assault by creating three rock lumps using his hard solid body and attacks Marilyn with all three of them together. Marilyn defends herself by hitting each of the three in turn, proceeding carefully not to get the faintest touch of the deadly lump or else she's dead meat. Fauke rolls his three lumps into one and throws a punch-like attack to the drifter which Marilyn shields using her Iskander Bey rapidly. Regardless, the hit is strong enough to nearly shake her off from her ground. And before she could even resume her previous stance, Fauke already distributes another punch from her behind. Marilyn manages to activate her accelerator and move in the last minute, but the punch still hit her. Mere one hit on the back was more than enough to send Marilyn flying and hitting the window of a storied building in front of them, sending her crashing through in.

"Westerfield!" Francesca yells for the other swordswoman although she knows this isn't the best time to worry about others because now it's 2 on 1 against her. And surely letting herself being outnumbered isn't one of Francesca's preferences. Brooke pierces to Francesca's direction, forcing her to defend and as well giving Fauke a chance to sneak and try to punch Francesca from behind. But much to his chagrin, the bloodied Marilyn appears in the last second and slashes his hand, nearly severing it.

"You're still alive after receiving a punch from Fauke?" Brooke doesn't waste a second voicing her dismay.

She is alive. Even though blood is visibly coming out from her mouth and her back is in an excruciating pain, Marilyn's alive. "Westerfield, are you alright?" Francesca forgets her pride and helps Marilyn steadying her stance.

"I've been better before, but thank you for asking" Marilyn could still throw a deadpan sarcasm even in time like this, "Listen, Schrodinger. This may not be the best proposal of all time, but I think we need to work together if we want to defeat this peacemaker"

"Consider it done…just for this time" Surprisingly, Francesca doesn't bother much.

"Good" Marilyn takes this chance to close the distance between herself and Fauke to engage him in a melee-combat. Bravely, she prepares her Iskander Bey and utilizes the speed of aceelerator to corner Fauke. The drfiter delivers some quick slashes which Fauke stops by protecting himself swaying the lumped rock all over his body. Marilyn speeds up her parry to pressure Fauke even more. Fauke is forced to gradually step back again and again, defending himself from Marilyn's relentless slashes. The drifter continues gaining the upper hand by delivering direct vertical slash to Fauke's neck. The hit is powerful enough to stutter the golem and takes him off guard because his neck is nearly removed away. Marilyn seals the golden opportunity with a quick direct thrust, right to Fauke's stomach. The thrust was so fast it seemed like a projectile. A resounding impact could be heard as Fauke is seen flung away to the air before harshly landing on the ground, defeated and destroyed into pieces. Brooke cannot hide his shock seeing Fauke was defeated so easily despite giving a hard time for Marilyn before, "You…how did you do that? You could barely hold your own against him before this"

"Pau de Arara, that's what the technique is called" Marilyn answers while sweeping some more blood from around her mouth, "It targets lower torso, weaken it using continuous slashes ended by a powerful thrust. Even a hardened golem wouldn't stand that"

"I see…so I underestimated you too much after all"

"You might want to pay attention a bit more, peacemaker. You're next" Brooke realizes Francesca is nowhere to be seen. Before she could track her, Francesca reveals herself to be standing in one of the rooftops and unleashing Amakumo No Tsurugi. Brooke is stunned when she sees the building and the street split into half and cannot do anything but shielding herself with her shield when the impact hits her. Her horse receives the attack directly and is destroyed into pieces, as well as her shield. Brooke falls down to the street armed with only her spear, now being cornered in two on one.

"I'm not going to be defeated by the likes of you!" Brooke summons a horde of golems and orders them to attack the two swordswomen. Unfortunately for her, Francesca unleashes another Amakumo no Tsurugi and sweeps the golems in an instant, leaving Brooke exposed all by herself defenselessly. Brooke sees Marilyn coming at her with gallant speed, her Iskander Bey ready for a pierce attack. The peacemaker made one last attempt to safe herself by shielding her body with her lance, but Marilyn's thrust proved to be too powerful even for her. Iskander Bey pierces through the solid lance, penetrating the inside of the peacemaker as Marilyn stops her step as the rock spear shattered into pieces. Brooke cannot believe this; her mouth slowly drops open and her eyes go wide at the sight of Iskander Bey buried on her stomach, her blood starts dripping off from her body and colors the ground below her redder than it already is. As her mouth starts coughing out blood, Marilyn quickly pulls out her sword, witnessing the peacemaker crumbles to her defeat, "Im..poss..ible…I'm…defeat…ed…by…mere…two…drifters…"

"Tough luck, peacemaker. You were facing us two on one, after all" Marilyn enlightens the peacemaker for one last time before she finally dies on the ground. Looking at the foe turned ally behind her, Marilyn states, "Thanks for the help, Westerfield. Couldn't have done it without you…perhaps"

"It's not perhaps, Westerfield" Tsk, typical rivalry thing, "We were both exhausted from our match earlier. If we didn't do those last moves together, we would have been dead"

"No, you would have. I wouldn't have"

"You mean the other way around, right?"

"No"

"Yes"

"No!"

"Yes!"

"Nooooooo!"

"Yeeeeeees!"

Inside the dome, the battle between Gomez and Cliff is culminating. After being thrown to the arena, Cliff received some more attack from the diorite man in the form of three hard punches to the head. Gomez earlier realized if he let Cliff continue shooting his right knee he would eventually lost it so he had to do something quick before The Crimson do something right. The peacemaker lifts Cliff up and drops him so that the Cliff's stomach impacts against part of his hardened knee. Upon falling to the floor, Cliff is seen coughing out blood. The density of his skin has been reduced also upon being connected by so many diorite strikes. The drifter gets up but sees himself outmaneuvered by the peacemaker when Gomez places Cliff in a front facelock and hooks Cliff's right leg with his free arm. The peacemaker, again, then lifts Cliff upside down or onto his shoulders, and then sits down, driving Cliff between his legs, head and shoulder first. Gomez stomps Cliff thrice on the ground before he could even do anything anymore. Gomez leaps backwards to create some space for himself before summoning three large rock sections and bludgeon Cliff with it. He taps several times to the floor to further attacking Cliff with earth spears from below the ground, but he could still feel The Crimson alive. Attempting to end the battle once and for all, Gomez controls the floor in the area to form several enormous earth jaws. He then proceeds to swallow and quickly hammer Cliff from both sides, crushing him inside the devouring earth.

"_**Did I do it**_?" Gomez wanders when he approaches to the jaws. Unlike his previous opponents, Cliff never flinched or even showed any sign of being in pain despite the constant attacks so it's hard to decipher if he's really dead or he just stays quiet. His wandering proves true because suddenly Cliff breaks free from inside the jaws and punches his face to hard he goes down to the floor.

"Surprised?" Still with Gomez in the floor, Cliff quickly hooks both hands around the peacemaker's head and then leaps to bring both knees up to the face of the diorite man. The drifter then falls backwards to the floor, thus forcing Gomez to fall forwards and impact the exposed knees, hurting his right knee even more. The Crimson takes the chance to reload his Dreadnaught and fires the peacemaker eight quick times in the right knee.

"**Aaaaakh!**" Gomez screams when he sees his right kneecap shows a little crack on it. Cliff kicks the knee twice after stroking it with his Dreadnaught five times, not wasting his momentum. Showing off his physical power, Cliff The wrestler stands behind, slightly to one side of and facing the opponent. Cliff reaches under Gomez's right arms with his corresponding arm and places the palm of his hand on the neck of the peacemaker, thereby forcing the arm of the diorite man up into the air. Cliff then uses his other arm to pull Gomez's other arm behind the Gomez's head, so both the peacemaker's arms are pinned. The Crimson then hooks Gomez's near leg and throws themselves backwards, driving his opponent back-first to the ground. Cliff seizes this chance by putting the barrel of his Dreadnaught, point-blank, on Gomez's right kneecap after reloading his ARMs. He pulls the trigger and shoots the kneecap complete with another air-piercing sound. "**Aaaaaaaaah!**" Gomez wails in pain as the crack gets bigger after receiving the first shot. Cliff holds him down before shooting his right kneecap again, further injuring it and causing the diorite man to scream in pain. The table has finally turned. "**Damn you, Crimson!**" Out of desperation, Gomez kicks Cliff with his left foot and stands back, "**Don't you ever think I will let you win!**"

Just awhile after, Cliff could feel the entire dome trembling when Gomez touches both his hands to the floor. Gomez is absorbing the floor to merge with him! Cliff can only maintain his stable position when the diorite man become slightly bigger than he already is. What is left after the absorption is just a normal land; the floor has been absorbed by the peacemaker. "If you're trying to conceal your right knee, you fail" Cliff, who is yet to feel the difference, comments, "I'm still going to blow it off"

"**Try it**" In an unseen speed, Gomez rushes at his opponent and smashes Cliff with his elbow. Then, he grabs the drifter by the leg and throws Cliff up into the air. Next, he leaps up to his opponent and attacks him with two straight punches and headbutts the red-haired man in the face. Finally, Gomez falls down to his opponent and delivers an upside down kick, with one foot rising upward as in a crescent kick; the upward arc motion is stopped and then the attacking foot is lowered so as to strike the red eyed man from above, that knocks Cliff into the ground, inflicting a massive amount of damage. Cliff is bleeding especially on his head, taken aback by the sudden attack. "**Surprised?**" Gomez mocks Cliff back, "**My ability isn't limited only to harden myself. I can also improve my ability to move in a great speed, Crimson**"

"Annoying..." Cliff is then welcomed by another rush attack after Gomez quickly appears in front of him. First, Gomez bends his leg like the front kick, but the knee is pointed at Cliff to the right of the his face. The energy from the snap is then redirected, whipping the leg into an arc and hitting the target Cliff into the air from below and jumps up to him. Then, he grabs Cliff's head and flies down to the ground as he spins pile-drives Cliff head first into the ground, resulting in an earthquake and inflicting massive damage which shatters the whole arena. A loud sound emerging from inside the dome is heard outside, shocking the other drifters.

"What is that sound?" Francesca looks at the dome right that moment.

"It must be Cliff…" A good deduction from Marilyn, "Good lord, what is happening inside the dome?"

"I don't like the way that sounds, Westerfield…"

"Agreed, let's go check on it"

Back in the dome, Cliff is seen rising up, this time in a battered state. Blood is staring to pour out from his torso, after coming out from his head. "**Oh, so you have your limit as well**" Gomez notes his achievement. But he knows he has to end this battle quickly. Despite gaining the advantage over Cliff at the moment, this full-power form has its weakness as well. The injury on his right knee remains the same. A fierce attack from Cliff might fatally cost him, "**Now, it's time to finish this, Crimson**"

Rushing toward Cliff, Gomez connects a semi-circular and vertical punch thrown with the rear hand to the drifter's stomach. Then, he uppercuts Cliff on the jaw and knocks the ARMs wielder away up into the air with two roundhouse kicks, using the heel to strike with. The kicking leg comes from around the kicker's back and remains straight, penetrating the rooftop of the dome, enabling Marilyn and Francesca to see what is actually happening. Finally, Gomez appears above Cliff and knocks him down into the ground with a right hook kick in his stomach, the kick is intentionally aimed slightly off target in the direction of the kicking foot's toes. At full extension, the knee is bent and the foot snapped to the side, impacting the Cliff with the heel and inflicting a high amount of damage as Cliff is sent crushing to the dome, visibly destroying its above level into pieces and buries Cliff with its destroyed top down below the arena. The impact is so massive the citizen of Gunner's Heaven start running for their own good. Marilyn and Francesca quickly head back to the dome with fearing the worst. Gomez lands back to inside the arena, searching in the pile of rubble. "**Where are you, Crimson?**" The diorite man shouts to ensure his victory. Cliff is nowhere to be seen, "**Are you dead**?"

He hears no reply. Assuming Cliff is finally done for; Gomez turns over his shoulder to head back outside. However, Cliff suddenly erupts from below the ground with his shears ready. The red eyed man traps Gomez's right kneecap between the shears before Gomez could do anything and smash the handle with his right hand when his left hand hold the shears stable. The massive power from the drifter proves fatal because the kneecap finally snaps and shatters into pieces of bones and fleshes, destroying Gomez's right knee as Cliff has been planning all the time.

"**Aaaaaaaaah! My leg! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaah! Curse, you Crimson! Aaaakh!", **Gomez succumbs to the ground while holding his right leg…what's left of it, "**You bastard! I will kill you! I will fucking kill you! Aaaaaah!**"

"Told you it would hurt. And tell you what, once an impenetrable object gets penetrated, it's easy to destroy the rest of it" Cliff limps when he draws his Dreadnaught. Despite being heavily wounded, he is still able to maintain his calm and turn the table for the last time, "Any last words, peacemaker?"

"**You! Don't you ever think The World Union won't hear about this! The other peacemakers will chase you and kill you! You can count on that!**" That seems to be the last words of the division four Peacemaker.

"That's a tremendous warning, but you're speaking to an outlaw. What a waste of your last words" Cliff finalizes the moment he aim to Gomez's head and pull the trigger, "Peacemaker, you're history"

KHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIING!

The air-piercing sound signals the end of the battle of Gunner's Heaven. Marilyn and Francesca arrive just in time to see Cliff withdrawing his Dreadnaught near Gomez's legless and headless body. "You're too late if you want to see the main event" Cliff humors the two, who are seeing him in very worried look.

"Good joke for someone who's battered and bruised" Marilyn replies.

"Oh, so you can be harmed? That's calming, I thought you were immortal" Francesca speaks a rather weird comment.

"Thank you for worrying about me, can we go now?" Cliff puts his shears back beside he jacket and begins to walk away, "The whole town is literally in chaos, we better go before anything worse than this comes up"

Outside, the three meets with Sophia, Frank, and Alvin. The latter two are carrying Lord Begucci and Velma on their back. "Oh, thank you for securing those two" Marilyn doesn't want the chance to know even a little about her mentor goes awry and acts fast, "Mind if I borrow one of them?"

"My pleasure" Alvin gives Lord Begucci to Cliff who lifts him to the corner of the street with Marilyn following him from behind.

"Wake up, old-timer!" Cliff lightly slaps the older Begucci and wakes him up.

B: What? No, no! Please don't kill me! All that attack was requested directly by World Union!

M: Yeah, I know. You don't need an Einstein to tell me that. I want to ask about another thing.

B: What? What thing?

M: Around three months ago, a swordsman named Vold Green won one of your competitions in Gunner's Heaven. Tell me everything you know about him right now!

B: Vold Green? The man carrying a flamberge sword with him? Why do you want to know about him?

C: You don't need to know that, old-timer. Just tell her.

B: Uh…I only know Vold Green was trying to find any information of a certain man! I don't know who that man is or why Vold Green chased after him, I swear!

"One more thing" The final question from Marilyn, "Have you heard of anything that might lead to Lord Green's current whereabouts? Any clue would be fine"

"Well…last I heard he was seen somewhere around Ship Graveyard area. But I do not have the faintest idea why he was there"

"Ship Graveyard? Isn't that place a desert now after The Genesis War?" Cliff recalls some of his knowledge, "We can go there after returning to our next point. What do you say, Marilyn?"

"I concur" Marilyn agrees before quickly hitting Begucci in the face, knocking him out cold, "We're done with him. Let's go!"

Back to the street, the two quickly joins the other who's already inside the jeep. It doesn't take long for them to get out from the town…

After twenty minutes of driving, the group stops in the desert and, one by one, they come out from the jeep.

M: Phew…we're saved…

F: That's a good idea bringing the jeep out Ted.

A: Wait, how do you know where the jeep is? And how could you start it without the key?

T: I know where the jeep is because we stayed in the same inn. And as for the key, Sophia gave it to me before she went to help you after you gave it to her earlier before the match in the dome.

S: I did?

C: So…what we're going to do now?

The group looks at each other, unknowing of they should do afterwards.

Fr: Well…um…I have an idea.

M: What is it?

Fr: How about we ask, um…Cliff here to catch something for us and cook it. While having dinner we can talk about what we should…um, do.

F: That seems like a good idea, Frank.

C: Me? Why me? I want to sleep!

M: Just do it, Cliff! Ukh, why do you have to yell you want to sleep at times like this? You always want to sleep!

A: Yeah! Grow up, dude. You're the one with least injuries among us!

C: Least injuries? Hello? Are you nuts? I'm bloodied and battered…and in instant need of pampering!

M: If you don't go right now, I assure you the only pampering you will receive is from my sword! Now get going!

And that's the final straw. Cliff goes without saying anything anymore.

T: Is it always like this in your group, Sophia?

S: Pretty much, yeah.

So, Cliff returns with a dead body of two hyenas. It doesn't take time for him to cook them and turn them into hyena steak. Surprisingly, The Schrodinger team doesn't complain about the weird dinner.

Fr: Hey, this is kinda good.

A: Cliff is a good cook. The best of us four; he can turn anything into edible food.

S: Including mud and sand.

T: Excuse me? Including what? Mud and sand?

S: Yeah, he cooked those two things too…once.

T: …amazing…

S: So, how do you guys travel?

Fr: Um…we use train to travel around, including to Gunner's Heaven.

S: Hm, so that's we never saw your car back there in Gunner's Heaven.

A: Speaking of which, is it just me or Cliff and Francesca are getting along well?

T: Hm? Hey, yeah. They've been having a conversation since the dinner starts.

C: So, Miss Schrodinger…tell me about what were you and your team actually doing in Gunner's Heaven.

F: Oh? I was just trying to win easy money. As you probably knew it, my family runs an orphanage and a shoe company. My father is the mayor of Court Seim, where I and my family live. And out town is going to hold an annual festival in three weeks. I think donating some amount of money wouldn't do any harm.

C: Wow, that's so kind of you. By the way, isn't Court Seim located in Arctica? For all I know, the climate on the area was cold but Arctica was doing well thanks to its advanced technology. How did your homeland survive The Genesis War?

F: Actually, it didn't. But my grandparents did everything they could to restore Court Seim back to its normal state.

C: Cool! Court Seim sounds like a pretty good place.

F: It is a good place! Maybe you should go there sometimes!

C: Hehe, I sure will!

F: It's your turn now.

C: My turn? Of what?

F: Tell me something about yourself.

C: Me? No, no. I'm not an interesting person.

F: It's fine, tell me anything about yourself. Like where do you come from, your family, or how do you get such imposing durability. Anything would do!

M: (Suddenly interrupts) Oh, sorry! You two seem like having a nice chat! Mind if I join?

F: I do mind. Big time.

M: And why would that hinder me from joining?

F: Because this is adult's talk. Kids should go to bed this hour.

M: Oh? You feel like a hag? That's surprising!

F: A decent reply from a little brat. Maybe you know another one?

M: I can see wrinkles in your face, Schrodinger.

F: That's better than being underdeveloped in sizes if you know what I mean. How old are you? 10?

M: I'm not underdeveloped! I can still grow!

F: Oh, so you actually feel like a midget? A good thing considering you also lack appeal!

M: And you're so full of wrinkles! Soon, you will start forgetting things like an old hag would!

F: I'm not an old hag, brat!

M: And I'm not a brat, old hag!

A: Wow, now Marilyn and Francesca are getting along…kinda.

T: Totally.

_Around two hours later in Gunner's Heaven…_

The Gunner's Heaven dome is practically destroyed thanks to the earlier fight. World Union soldiers and officers could be seen wandering around the town. In front of the dome, Begucci and Velma are being questioned by two peacemakers donned in formal ceremonial dress, just like the two earlier peacemakers showed. The male peacemaker wears a lightly tinted sunglasses covering his orange eyes; he has a short dark colored hair. The female peacemaker is wearing a dark pink suit with a white blouse underneath and dark brown boots, in contrast of her long golden hair and blue eyes. "So, I conclude you really do not know where The Four Garrison is going?" The male peacemaker ensures the information he just received from Lord Begucci, "How disappointing, Lord Begucci. World Union lost both our Division IV Peacemakers and the only thing you could tell us is you don't know anything?"

Lord Begucci is silenced. He knows talking back to the first division peacemaker wouldn't do him any good. "Maybe we should reconsider giving you all the privilege from World Union after this" The female peacemaker continues before she and her male counterpart depart from the scene to inside the wrecked dome, leaving Begucci and his daughter unable to talk back. Inside the dome, a woman with chin-length, dark blue hair and dark brown eyes dresses in formal ceremonial dress is seen quietly watching as the dead bodies of Gomez and Brooke being carried out in a stretcher. "So, Trent" The woman refers to the male peacemaker, "Does Begucci know anything about the involvement of The Four Garrison?"

"Apparently not, President Whittler" The peacemaker named Trent replies, "They couldn't provide us with decent information regarding the matter"

"I see, so we have to depend on ourselves for this matter after all" The woman, revealed to be the president of WU, adds before calling for the female peacemaker, "Lucia"

"Yes, President Whittler?" The female peacemaker called Lucia answers to the call.

"Gather the remaining peacemakers in Filgaia. We are going to have a meeting in four days" The president orders as the two first division peacemaker obediently nods. Things are going to get hotter around here…

_Meanwhile, somewhere around the street of Gunner's Heaven…_

Thanks to the earlier commotion, Gunner's Heaven is now filled with WU officers. Especially considering they lost two Peacemakers at the same time. But another thing is going on in the street where a certain battle occurred earlier tonight. A white-haired boy with red eyes dressed in an over-sized, high-collared coat wrapped with three leather straps is seen walking towards Janie's body. Most of his body is covered in bandages, including his mouth and arms, revealing only the upper half of his face and hair. The boy kneels before the dead body and pokes Janie's forehead with his index finger, "Wake up, Janie. How long are you going to sleep?"

"Don't bitch about it, Zagrid! You're too late!" All of a sudden, Janie rises as her face slowly regenerates back, "What were you doing all this time? Weren't you supposed to be here after the attack started?"

"I was here, Janie. But I wouldn't put it past me to see you getting pummeled" The boy named Zagrid replies in an unusual manner, "Besides, it's not like you were really going to die, right?"

"It's no use talking to you, as usual!"

"I'll consider that as a compliment. Thank you" The boy doesn't bother the obvious hate from the words, "So, did you get what we wanted?"

"Yeah, yeah, it's confirmed. Marilyn Westerfield is indeed travelling as one of The Four Garrison. Her three other friends seem to be a bother if they act altogether"

"I see, but that sniper girl gave you a nice shot"

"It's because Flamel told me to hold back! If she didn't order me to hold back due to our need of completing this mission I would have killed all them!"

"Fine, fine" Zagrid motions to Janie so they depart from the street into the alleyway, "Since we have no business left in here, let's go back to Illsveil Prison. Flamel reminded me while Zenon and Lord Tiberius are away for several days, she wants us to report to her"

"Fine…" Then, the two disappears in the darkness of the alleyway…leaving Gunner's Heaven on its own chaos.

_At the same time, inside The Society's Headquarters…_

In a darkened meeting room, two men could be seen speaking to each other. The first one is a tall African-American man with solid build, white haired in Caesar cut and dark eyes. He dons in a dark blue striped suit with a long dark blue coat draping over his shoulders and also wearing pure dark shoes, blue-amber tinted sunglasses. He talks to a younger Caucasian man, a tall and slim man with arched brows, green eyes, and dark crew cut hair. He wears a neat black suit with the sleeves rolled up, with black leather shoes and a white tie and handkerchief in his pocket. He also wears a pair of dark brown gloves. "Is it true, Justin? World Union just lost both their division four peacemakers?" The African-American man asks the younger man named Justin.

"It's true, General Blaine" Justin responds while also revealing the name of the higher ranked man, "Cliff and his companions did it"

"Cliff? Even after deserting from us he still do us a big favor" The general called Blaine sounds really happy regarding this matter, "Well, for now we don't have anything to do regarding this matter. I shall go to Enid Town as planned. I leave everything here in your care, Justin. As one of the Six Arcadius, it's high time you show your competence in dealing with desk work"

"Very well, general" After the younger man answers, the General walks away from the room with a big smile.

The next morning, The Four Garrison drives The Schrodingers into the nearest train station 3 miles from the desert, which is on the same direction to Baskar Village.

T: (Shaking hands with Sophia) It's nice to know you, Sophia. Let's meet again some other time.

S: (Smiling) Sure, you take care of yourself 'kay?

A: (Same, shaking hands with Alvin) Let's fight again some other time.

Fr: Next time, I'll even the score.

A: (Same, smiling) Really? I'd love to see you trying.

F: (Not shaking hands, but there's a good atmosphere between them) Cliff, remember your promise okay? Come to the festival in Court Seim!

C: Okay, if I have nothing to do in three weeks I'll make sure I'll go there.

F: And please keep your eye on Westerfield, okay? She might explode due to unnecessary attempt to develop some sizes.

C: (Looking at Marilyn, who is definitely not smiling) Okay…I shall do that.

Fifteen minutes later, the train departs to Court Seim with The Four Garrison left with new friendship and rivalry.

A: Glad to make some new friends after a long time!

S: Sure it is.

Without the two noticing, Cliff whispers to Marilyn, "Hey, Marilyn?"

"Hm?"

"Thanks for covering for me last night" Cliff refers to the matter of his parents, "I really appreciate it"

"It's all cool, Cliff. After all, you would do the same for me" Marilyn shows a ghost of a smile, "Wouldn't you?"

"Hey, what are you two talking about?" Unfortunately, Alvin interrupts, "It's high-noon, lovebirds. We need to go now"

"Yeah, okay" Cliff answers, but not without hinting back to Marilyn as The Four Garrison goes to their jeep and to the next destination, "I would"

_At the same time, somewhere around The Ship Graveyard…_

After The Genesis War, the Ship Graveyard is now living up on its name, being the place for many abandoned and destroyed giant ships in the middle of the desert. On the top of one of the ships, an enormous man with a wide chest, broad shoulders, muscular arms and legs and thick neck with wavy brown hair is seen standing while extending his arm; his hand holding a dark orb. He has sunken eyes and thin eyebrows. He sports a long, thick, dark black and gray fur coat as well as polished Italian shoes with golden buckles. He also wears an indigo velvet scarf, as well as a long-sleeve dark shirt, which are covered by a darker orange button-up vest adorned with a striped black pattern, and dark brown suit pants. His black dilated eyes locked to the orb. Behind him, another man with strangely colored eyes is visible. The man wears a wide-brimmed hat decorated with a large plume, and a long, open black cloak. An oversized silver colored greatsword is seen hanging on his back. In addition, He wears overly large boots in comparison to his leg size.

"**Beautiful**" The man with black dilated eyes mutters while his eyes still locked in the orb, a smile displayed on his face, "**Don't you agree with me, Zenon? This orb has a certain charm on its own being. Whoever sees it will be hypnotized by it**"

"It's only normal, Lord Tiberius" The swordsman named Zenon politely responds, "After all, the orb is the key to fulfill your dream, your goal"

"**Indeed. This orb, the beautiful color of it, shall determine the fate of Filgaia**" The enormous man, Tiberius, agrees with his subordinate, "**Vold Green only did a futile attempt trying to hinder us. Our plan is nearly completed. It's only a matter of time before Filgaia, and its people, realize what would demise them"**

"As it supposed to be, Lord Tiberius"

In the early morning of Filgaia in Ship Graveyard, unknown to this world, two sides are cooperating without any interference to change the whole world. The swordsman, Zenon, is the leader of the notorious assassin guild consists only of 8 members, H8. The other one is Emmanuel Tiberius, widely known in Filgaia as The Messenger of Darkness.

The dry hot sand is the only witness to the upcoming plan which may very well change the whole world altogether.

**Well, that's it for this chapter! Hope u enjoy my work! As usual, R&R are welcomed! Special thanks goes to Gigih Perwira for the advices. C u next chappy (^^).**

**I. Character info**

**Francesca Schrodinger**

**Age: 20**

**Birthplace/Birthdate: Court Seim / 16****th**** March **

**H/W: 5'6 / A lady never tells**

**Occupation: Drifter**

**Likes: Money, fame, wealth, her family, her hometown, possibly Cliff**

**Dislikes: Bankruptcy, Marilyn (obvious)**

**Weapon: Shigure (Katana)**

**Ability: Excellent Swordsmanship**

**Race: Human**

**Nickname: Some people refer to her as The Golden Hunter**

**Notes:**

**I made this character because I ADORE Maya from Wild Arms 3. It's nice to see her and Marilyn bashing at each other. And based on the PM's I received, the reception from the readers for her is surprisingly good! Obviously, she is the leader of the rival team of The Four Garrison (particularly Marilyn). I cannot wait to write chapters with her in it again! Being the second daughter of The Schrodinger, her family is the richest in Court Seim. After her older sister married to a businessman and gave birth to two children, she decided to become a drifter because she wants to feel a free life despite her parents actually wanting her to inherit their shoe company (which is now run by her sister's husband). Her nephews like to make fun of her for never having a boyfriend all her life (which she usually replies by threatening to slash them). Her parents are also worried about this and pray to God everyday so Francesca would meet her destined man soon. And to those who asked me whether she has a crush on Cliff or not…come on, guys. What's the use of imagination?**

**Frank Glooms**

**Age: 23**

**Birthplace/Birthdate: Court Seim / 8****th**** June**

**H/W: 6'0 / 125 lbs**

**Occupation: Drifter**

**Likes: Fighting (in a friendly manner)**

**Dislikes: None in particular**

**Weapon: Tonfa**

**Ability: Great Martial Arts Skill**

**Race: Human**

**Nickname: None**

**Notes:**

**He is obviously Alvin's counterpart in the rival team. Mysteriously, everyone around him feels a gloomy aura which Frank himself never realized. He's a good guy, of course. He is orphaned since he was a little kid and a childhood friend of both Francesca and Ted. He goes with them whenever they go drifting. When he has nothing to do, he usually helps with the chores at the orphanage owned by The Schrodinger.**

**Ted Schrodinger**

**Age: 17**

**Birtplace/Birthdate: Court Seim / 11****th**** November**

**H/W : 5'4 / 100 lbs**

**Occupation: Drifter**

**Likes: Knowledge, Sophia (in a way)**

**Dislikes: War**

**Weapon: ARMs (Anahit)**

**Ability: Surgical mind, proper marksmanship**

**Race: Human**

**Nickname: None**

**Notes:**

**The third child of The Schrodinger family. He goes drifting with her sister and usually acts as the brain of the group. I created him so that Sophia could get some character development. He has a vast knowledge of things I would like to show next time he appears.**

**Eleanor Whittler**

**Age: 42**

**Birthplace / Birthdate: Sand River / 22****nd**** October**

**H/W: 5'7 / Top secret**

**Occupation: World Union's President, one of The Red Swords**

**Likes: The photograph of her family she keeps **

**Dislikes: ARMs wielders entirely**

**Weapon: ?**

**Ability: ?**

**Race: Human**

**Nickname: The Empress**

**Notes:**

**Eleanor Whittler used to be one of The Red Swords fighting alongside Red Moon and their two leaders, The Red Paladin and The Wizard Queen, during The Genesis War against Solomon and his Ars Goetia. After the war is over, she was chosen to lead The World Union of Filgaia. However, the loss of her husband and her only son in the hand of an ARMs wielder she later killed changed her heart and her view of ARMs wielder entirely. She used The Ipswich Square Massacre to begin the plan of revolting against The ARMs wielder in Filgaia.**

**Trent Penfield**

**Age: 28**

**Birthplace / Birthdate: Capo Bronco / 9****th**** July**

**H/W: 6'2 / 177 lbs**

**Occupation: First Division Peacemaker**

**Likes: World Union, President Elena**

**Dislikes: Anyone who opposes President Elena**

**Weapon: ?**

**Ability: ?**

**Race: Human**

**Nickname: The Azure Knight**

**Notes:**

**Alongside her female counterpart, he is the strongest of the peacemakers and also the most loyal. Orphaned due to The Genesis War, he views Elena as a mother figure and would do anything to fulfill her order. Due to an event in the past, he knows Cliff and has been trying to chase The Four Garrison in the last two year, although not in a great manner. Elena once noted his power may very well surpass her own.**

**Lucia Arnhem**

**Age: 27**

**Birthplace / Birthdate: Mirapulse / 27****th**** February**

**H/W: 5'9 / As usual, a secret**

**Occupation: First Division Peacemaker**

**Likes: World Union, President Elena**

**Dislikes: Anyone who opposes President Elena**

**Weapon: ?**

**Ability: ?**

**Race: Human**

**Nickname: Sylphid**

**Notes:**

**Just like Trent, she is the strongest of the peacemakers and also the most loyal. Orphaned due to The Genesis War, she views Elena as a mother figure and would do anything to fulfill her order. Her ability and personality comply with her male partner, making them the most dangerous duo of The Peacemakers.**

**Gomez Delphic **

**Age: 29 (Deceased)**

**Birthplace / Birthdate: ? / ?**

**H/W: 6'7 / 260 lbs**

**Occupation: Fourth Division Peacemaker**

**Likes: ?**

**Dislikes: ?**

**Weapon: None in particular**

**Ability: Diorite Earth Magic **

**Race: Human**

**Nickname: The Diorite Man**

**Notes:**

**I made his character to introduce the peacemakers. Hopefully his fight with Cliff will be well received among the readers.**

**Brooke Niort**

**Age: 29 (Deceased)**

**Birthplace / Birthdate: ? / ?**

**H/W: 6'0 / 140 lbs**

**Occupation: Fourth Division Peacemaker**

**Likes: ?**

**Dislikes: ?**

**Weapon: The ones she created with her rocks**

**Ability: Earth Magic **

**Race: Human**

**Nickname: None**

**Notes:**

**Same as above, I hope her fight with the swordswoman duo will be well received.**

**Blaine Richter**

**Age: 53**

**Birthplace / Birthdate: Mount Zenom / 25****th**** July**

**H/W: 7'2 / 340 lbs**

**Occupation: The General of The Society, leader of the Six Arcadius**

**Likes: His daughter, any ARMs wielder, The Society**

**Dislikes: World Union**

**Weapon: ?**

**Ability: ?**

**Race: Human**

**Nickname: The Titan**

**Notes:**

**An imposing man, just like his nickname suggests. After losing his wife during The Genesis War, he now lives with his only daughter, Elena, and deeply hopes for her happiness. Simply a mere soldier of Red Moon during The Genesis War, he volunteered himself in a secret experiment that turn him into a superhuman, the power he displays by killing all the scientists involved in the experiment. He then rose to the occasion and became the highest rank officer of The Society, as well as the leader (and the strongest) of the Six Arcadius. And tell you what, he's going to make an appearance in the story in just two chapters!**

**Justin Abraham**

**Age: 27**

**Birthplace / Birthdate: Frontier Town Halim / 23****rd**** April**

**H/W: 6'2 / 240 lbs**

**Occupation: One of the Six Arcadius**

**Likes: Elena, The Society**

**Dislikes: Cliff (in a great deal)**

**Weapon: ?**

**Ability: ?**

**Race: Human**

**Nickname: The Punisher**

**Notes:**

**The youngest member of The Six Arcadius. A very serious man with a cold attitude. Blaine secretly raised him like his own son. I want to write him more often, but maybe it's not possible for the time being (). He joined The Society to avenge the death of his family…which is caused by Cliff.**

**Emmanuel Tiberius**

**Age: ?**

**Birthplace / Birthdate: ? / ?**

**H/W: 7'4 / 437 lbs**

**Occupation: Mass Murderer**

**Likes: Filgaia**

**Dislikes: Nothing in particular**

**Weapon: ?**

**Ability: ?**

**Race: ?**

**Nickname: The Messenger of Darkness**

**Notes:**

**A ruthless ARMs wielder said to bring calamity wherever he steps in. He was first spotted by few during Ipswich Square Massacre when he massacred 10,000 people in three days. Clad in dark from head to toe, he travels all over Filgaia to spread his belief, that death is the only salvation for every living person. His ultimate goal is to see Filgaia destroy itself by any means, be it war, famine, disease, disaster, or if must…his direct actions (the latter is preferred). Ipswich Square Massacre was only the beginning of his plan to destroy Filgaia by making Filgaia's two strongest parties go against each other. Cliff, one of the only two survivors upon encountering him, claims him to be physically impenetrable by any means possible. Being the main antagonist of the story, I hope I can display him as I want!**

**II. Terminologies**

**The Peacemakers**

**World Union special ops unit consisting of six divisions. Each divisions is led by two peacemakers, one male & one female, and commands a great number of soldiers. The smaller the number, the stronger the peacemaker.**

**The Six Arcadius**

**Six highest rank officers in The Society. They are all ARMs wielders and possess extreme physical durability. They command the rest of The Society soldiers or special units.**

**H8**

**An assassin guild consists only of eight members. Secretly, they work under the order of The Messenger of Darkness. They will play a big role later in the story, that's why their character info isn't displayed for now!**


	10. One Night In A Forest

**Chapter 10**

"_**"Love is a temporary madness. It erupts like an earthquake and then subsides. And when it subsides you have to make a decision. You have to work out whether your roots have become so entwined together that it is inconceivable that you should ever part. Because this is what love is. Love is not breathlessness, it is not excitement, it is not the promulgation of promises of eternal passion. That is just being "in love" which any of us can convince ourselves we are. Love itself is what is left over when being in love has burned away, and this is both an art and a fortunate accident. Your mother and I had it, we had roots that grew towards each other underground, and when all the pretty blossom had fallen from our branches we found that we were one tree and not two"**_

_**St. Augustine**_

**There are some references to several movies in the dialogues here, but the dialogues and quotes are rightfully owned by their respective studios, not me. And this chapter contains some adult preferences, that's why I rated this story with T. If u don't like it, skip the joke. If u like it, enjoy.**

_Two days after the event on the last chapter…_

After passing through the desert, the group arrives in Woodstock Village, a small village near a temperate deciduous forest. It is also called beaver nations. "Phew, finally here" Alvin stretches his arms upon coming out from the jeep, "I think we should stay here for a night or two. We need some proper rest, as well as the jeep"

"That doesn't sound like a bad idea" Marilyn, who's coming from behind, quickly agrees, "It's only ten miles away from Enid town, and from there's it only one day to Baskar Colony. I think we can replenish ourselves better here than anywhere else"

Alvin looks around the forest, and then tells his friends after he decided, "Ok, so you three are going to find an inn, right? Looks like this time I'm not going to join you for the fun"

"Huh? Why? You're going somewhere?" Cliff responds.

"Yeah, I think I'll stay in the woods for the night. After I met Frank I think I need to prepare myself to face my father" Alvin waves his hands and goes to inside the forest but pauses when he remembers something, "Oh, Cliff?"

"Yes?"

"Can I talk to you for a second?"

"Yeah, sure" Cliff moves toward the Baskar native, "What is it?"

"I…just want to say good luck"

"For what?"

"For spending the night with who might be future Mrs. Margester" Ah, the typical older brother encouragement, "You know, I'll be away. So all you need to do is take Sophia out of the picture and grab her for yourself, OK?"

"Uh…what?" Cliff is dull to his bone.

"Oh, come on! Stop pretending!" Alvin gives Cliff a thumb up before finally leaving, "Bye, guys. See you tomorrow"

"Yeah, take care!" Cliff waves back before turning his attention to the two girls, obviously ignoring what Alvin said earlier, "So? What we're going to do now?"

"Hm…we can certainly search for a quest" Marilyn quickly speaks to dispatch any attempt Cliff would try to have an excuse to sleep, "Sophia, why don't you take the jeep and our bags to the nearest inn? You can rest there for awhile. I'm going to find an easy job and Cliff's going to accompany me. Now, go! Chop-chop!"

"Uh…okay…" Sophia doesn't ask anything and do what she's told, leaving the bewildered Cliff alone with the cunning swordswoman.

"You…you cheater…" And of course it's easy for Cliff to read what she's been planning.

"W-h-a-t-e-v-e-r" See? They aren't soulmates for nothing, "Let's go the mayor's office. We'll see if we can find something there"

It doesn't take long for them to arrive at the office. A small wooden house with four rooms. The mayor is seen sitting beside his table when the two approaches him, "Ah, welcome to Woodstock Village fellas! Can I be of any help to you?"

"Actually, yes. We're looking for a job. Is there any quest you might want us to do?" Marilyn do the talk…as usual.

"What a coincidence! Yes, we have a certain quest here in our village" The mayor explains, enthusiastically, "For the last two weeks, the forest has been…conquered by a certain grizzly bear. You see, most of our people have tree trimming as their occupation, and with the bear wandering around they cannot do their job without worrying their safety"

"So, you want us to kill the bear?"

"What? No, no! There's no need to kill the bear! Just chase him off the forest or tame him. We don't want any violence here"

"Okay, what's the prize?"

"15,000 gella"

"Deal" Marilyn claps her hands and the two goes outside, "Let's go to the forest and find the grizzly. When we encounter him, you do the job and knock him out cold"

"Hm…in the end, it's me who's got to do the job" Cliff grumbles, but his protests goes fruitless because Marilyn doesn't even bother listening and goes to the forest…with him eventually following her.

Meanwhile, Alvin is wandering on the forest in his own thought, "_Hm…what should I do to improve my skills? I was nearly defeated by Frank. If I meet father like this I would be defeated in an instant…"_

His though is soon interrupted when he feels the presence of someone else, not far from him. Tracking down using his sense, he sees a man in training suit sitting in a cross legged position among the trees. The man is a well built man in a normal height; he has shoulder length wavy hair that is tied in a ponytail. Both his eyes are closed and he moves his right arm to above his face. Alvin could feel an energy coming from him, invisible yet obvious. The man motions his arm so it touches the ground. Just a moment after it, the trees surrounding him get shook like being blown by a strong wind which knocks almost all the leaves in the trees. Alvin is nearly pushed has he not maintain his footing; his surprised face cannot be concealed, "_What was that? It feels like the impact of a cannon!_"

"Who's that?" The man notices Alvin's presence and throws a glance at him, surprising Alvin even more. His eyes, blue in color, are now revealed.

"Oh, sorry! I just happened to spot your training! I didn't mean to disturb you or anything!" Alvin clears the misunderstanding before unwanted things happen.

"Hm…you don't seem to be lying. Sorry for yelling at you, man" The man shows his manner.

"Uh, no. I should apologize for surprising you too" But of course Alvin doesn't forget the magic he's just shown, "By the way, what was that? I mean, the skill you showed just now, was that a magic spell?"

"Oh? Hardly, man. But I'm afraid you wouldn't understand it even if I tell you"

"No, no. I'm inclined to disagree" Alvin is so persistent, eh? "Actually…I'm interested on knowing more about what you just showed. I may…need it"

"For what purpose, man?" An obvious comeback. Alvin is silenced, but maybe not for long. He is thinking how he would tell a good reason without revealing the fact that he is one of The Four Garrison.

"Should I be frank?"

"I'd like that"

Alvin isn't stupid, but for things like this, he would make it simple so the other fighter wouldn't have a hard time absorbing what he's saying, "I want to grow stronger"

That's a blunt answer, but the man doesn't hate that fact, "You know…that's so frank. But I kinda like that that style"

"…so?" Alvin sounds hopeful.

"I think we are speaking in the same language on the same page" The man speaks in an amused tone, "I rarely meet someone like you before. God only knows whether you could learn from me or not, but hey, let's give it a damn try, man!"

Advancing with a friendly manner, Alvin offers his hand and introduces himself with a smile on his face, "I'm Alvin, nice to meet you"

"I'm Edgar, but you can call me Ed, man" Ed welcomes the new friendship and shakes the drifter's hand, "Nice to meet you too, Alvin"

_Meanwhile, on the outer area of the forest…_

"So, how do we find the bear?" As the two finally goes deep into the woods, Cliff wishes to clarify their mission objective one more time, "Are we going to put some bait or what?"

Putting her index finger on her lips, Marilyn answers after some moment of thinking, "Hm…that's a good question because I haven't actually thought about it"

"…you mean, you want to lure the bear but you don't even know how? Great, this is just getting better…"

"Quit whining, snorlax. I will come up with something"

"Is that supposed to be a threat?"

"Yes"

"Am I supposed to be trembling in a minute?"

"Something like that"

"Fine, I'll start trembling in a minute"

Feeling particularly annoyed, Marilyn adjusts the conversation to a better direction, "Rather than being such a jerk, why don't you enjoy the good scenery while we're at it?"

"At what?"

"At here, now, in this place" A good clarification, "Isn't this forest a pretty one? It's calm, warm, and the air is nice. Enjoy it"

"You mean, you want me to enjoy the scenery while I'm trembling?" Cliff continues being a jerk.

"No, you don't have to tremble! Just be grateful and enjoy the environment" And Marilyn almost yells at that one,

"I don't know, the trees are starting to tremble in my eyes. Or maybe it's just me?"

"Hey, will you stop that trembling crap?"

"Crap can tremble?"

The last line results in a punch to the Cliff's arm, which stops both drifters, "What's wrong with you? You're so nosy today!"

"Yeah, or maybe I'm just bored, tired, and sleepy"

"You're a jerk, you know that?"

"And then some"

They stare at each other silently after that; none of them are willing to resume the conversation.

"OK…how about this?" Raising the wager, Marilyn speaks up, "After this bear quest is over, we'll find a good hotel where you can sleep in a comfy bed with an air conditioner. Maybe not soon after this thing is over, but we'll get there at least in two weeks"

"For real?" Whenever Cliff speaks about sleeping, he speaks with passion, "You're not joking me, aren't you?"

"I promise you" That's the last thing Cliff need to be ensured, "Can we go now?"

"You bet!" Not, it's Cliff who wants to catch the bear badly.

_In the inn…_

Poor Sophia is being left alone with the luggage of her friends. She is quietly sitting on the bed inside the room she booked for herself and Marilyn. As usual, the boys got separated room. But still, Sophia doesn't have anything to do. And she begins to feel bored, "_Uh, what should I do? Marilyn and Cliff aren't likely to come back until tonight and Alvin isn't going anywhere near here until tomorrow, what I'm going to do by myself?"_

Thinking of something to entertain herself, Sophia's eyesight lands on a phone located near the bed. "_A call to anyone would be nice_" Smiling to herself, the sniper picks up the phone and calls a random number,

S: Hello?

AOC: Hello

S: Who is this?

AOC: What? Who is this?

S: This is Sophia. Who is this?

AOC: This is AOC, the author of this story. Why are you calling me?

S: I'm bored, tell me a joke about woman.

AOC: OK… A group of girlfriends is on vacation when they see a 5-story hotel with a sign that reads: "For Women Only." Since they are without their boyfriends and husbands, they decide to go in. The bouncer, a very attractive guy, explains to them how it works. "We have 5 floors. Go up floor by floor, and once you find what you are looking for, you can stay there. It's easy to decide since each floor has a sign telling you what's inside". So they start going up and on the first floor the sign reads: "All the men on this floor are short and plain." The friends laugh and without hesitation move on to the next floor. The sign on the second floor reads: "All the men here are short and handsome." Still, this isn't good enough, so the friends continue on up. They reach the third floor and the sign reads: "All the men here are tall and plain". They still want to do better, and so, knowing there are still two floors left, they continued on up. On the fourth floor, the sign is perfect: "All the men here are tall and handsome." The women get all excited and are going in when they realize that there is still one floor left. Wondering what they are missing, they head on up to the fifth floor. There they find a sign that reads: "There are no men here. This floor was built only to prove that there is no way to please a woman".

S: Wahahahahahahaha! Very funny, now it's my turn! Two women friends had gone out for a Girls Night Out, and had been decidedly over-enthusiastic on the cocktails. Incredibly drunk and walking home they suddenly realized they both needed to pee. They were very near a graveyard and one of them suggested they do their business behind a headstone or something. The first woman had nothing to wipe with so she took off her panties, used them and threw them away. Her friend however was wearing an expensive underwear set and didn't want to ruin hers, but was lucky enough to salvage a large ribbon from a wreath that was on a grave and proceeded to wipe herself with it. After finishing, they made their way home. The next day the first woman's husband phones the other husband and said, "These damn girls nights out have got to stop. My wife came home last night without her panties". "That's nothing," said the other. "Mine came back with a sympathy card stuck between the cheeks of her butt that said, 'From all of us at the Fire Station, we'll never forget you!"

AOC: Wuahahahahahahaha! Amazing, I got another one! A bride tells her husband, "Honey, you know I'm a virgin and I don't know anything about sex. Can you explain it to me first?" "OK, Sweetheart. Putting it simply, we will call your private place 'the prison' and call my private thing 'the prisoner'. So what we do is: put the prisoner in the prison. And then they made love for the first time. Afterwards, the guy is lying face up on the bed, smiling with satisfaction. Nudging him, his bride giggles, "Honey the prisoner seems to have escaped". Turning on his side, he smiles. "Then we will have to re-imprison him". After the second time they spent, the guy reaches for his cigarettes but the girl, thoroughly enjoying the new experience of making love, gives him a suggestive smile, "Honey, the prisoner is out again!" The man rises to the occasion, but with the unsteady legs of a recently born foal. Afterwards, he lays back on the bed, totally exhausted. She nudges him and says, "Honey, the prisoner escaped again". Limply turning his head, He YELLS at her, "Hey, its not a life sentence, OKAY?"

S: Wahahahahahaha! Ok, last joke! Two fellas are fishing in a boat under a bridge. One looks up and sees a funeral procession starting across the bridge. He stands up, takes off his cap, and bows his head. The procession crosses the bridge and the man puts on his cap, picks up his rod and reel, and continues fishing. The other guy says, "That was touching. I didn't know you had it in you". The first guy responds, "Well, I guess it was the thing to do - after all, I was married to her for 40 years".

AOC: Wow! That's so funny!Wahahahahaha!

S: See? Good jokes from both of us!

AOC: Right, by the way can I ask you something?

S: What?

AOC: What are you doing calling me like this? Shouldn't you be doing your part of the story right now?

S: Oh…that…I forgot…

AOC: …kay, you are supposed to go to the woods and somehow find the troubled bear

S: Oh, thanks. Can I go now?

AOC: Yeah, knock yourself out. God, how could she be so forgetful?

Back to the forest, the swordswoman is adoring the view. Not just adoring in a normal way, but adoring in a different way. Something in the forest catches her vision and locked them there. To sum it up, the view hypnotized her. And in case she doesn't notice it, her face looks different also. She doesn't pay attention to the path she is walking, nor does she pay any attention to her companion at all.

Of course, Cliff catches this too, "What's wrong, Marilyn? Something makes you fall in love with this forest?"

"Huh? Well…the forest makes me reminding things" Marilyn gives a rather deep answer.

"Of Vold Green" Cliff throws a guess and hits the jackpot. And it is proven further by a slight thoughtful look from his companion, "Let me guess, he used to take you to forest a lot and this forest reminds you of your memories spending time with him"

"…yeah, pretty much so" Marilyn stops for a moment, relieving herself of what she has in mind by letting them out, "He always tells how he likes being in the woods simply to enjoy the atmosphere. He could easily befriend any animals, from the tame ones like birds to the wild ones like wolves. He knows a wide array of plants, trees, and fruits. And when I was a little girl he used to tell me bedtime stories before I sleep whenever we went camping. Whenever he did all that, he looks so happy and glorified. I don't know why, but I think it's because he likes spending times with nature"

"Or with you" The red eyed man adds perhaps the thing Marilyn wants to hear the most. Damn, Cliff's on a hot streak here.

"…does he?" Marilyn puts a low tone before beginning to walk again, "If he does, why did he leave me? If he was happy with me, then why did he wander around without me? Didn't he realize what he did hurt me, and it still does?"

Cliff suddenly becomes silent, obviously not knowing how to approach his soulmate in occasions like this. Marilyn glances to the ARMs wielder to see him not talking, and then continues, "Even thinking or saying this hurts me. I wish to remember good things of him, but these questions keep coming up. I can't hide them, I want to know why"

Too bad for her, she talks too much she didn't even watch her step. Marilyn didn't even realize when she stepped on a small slippery hill, and it was too late for her when she falls down, "Aaaah!"

"Marilyn!" Cliff goes to catch her but she fell from the hill faster than his move. He could only watch before jumping down when Marilyn finally stops rolling down below. "Hey, are you alright?" The Crimson slowly lifts the younger girl; both his eyes are telling nothing but worry, "Speak to me! You're fine, right?"

"I'm not dead…yet" Thankfully, she's fine, "Thanks for worrying, anyway. That really…hurt"

"Yeah, you look so messed up" Cliff refers to her slightly torn clothes and dirtied hair. Her face is also slightly covered with dirt, "Can you stand?"

"I'll…give it a try" Marilyn tries to stand with his two feet, slowly with the help of Cliff. But she stumbles upon trying to move her left foot, "Ouch! My ankle hurts!"

"Maybe you sprained it, we'll have to see it later to be sure," Cliff helps Marilyn to stabilize her footing by wrapping her left arm on his neck, so she could support herself better, "But, let's not do it here. It's almost dusk; we need to find someplace safe enough. Here, the bear might find us and with your injury it would be a disadvantage for us"

"So, where do we go?"

"The river, we can get water and fish as food there" The red haired man turns his face to her face and asks, "Okay then, are you ready?"

"Ready? For what?" Pensively, the girl doesn't get what he's trying to imply.

"For a ride, Marilyn"

Before Marilyn could say or do anything, Cliff quickly puts her in a bridal hold which surprises the hell out of her, especially because they are so close to each other they can feel each other's warmth, "Wait, wait, wait! What are you doing?"

"I'm helping you" A short answer from the red eyed man, but that would only prolong the problem, "Isn't it obvious?"

"Not like this! Let go of me!" Without her realizing it, Marilyn's face gradually turns red from embarrassment.

"No way I'm letting you go, Lady Westerfield. You couldn't even stand, how do we suppose to reach the river then?" That's somewhat dull, but reasonable.

"But this is…this is… this is too close!" Obviously, Marilyn could feel his body pressing against hers as Cliff continue walking. To her, let's say she is totally being owned.

"What do you expect? And why is that a big deal?" And obviously too, the other drifter doesn't feel the same way as she does.

"That IS a big deal, all right!"

"Why?"

"It's because…it's because…" In a rare occasion, Cliff wins a debate against Marilyn. And in even rarer occasion, "You…have never done…this to me…before"

There's a weird atmosphere between them. Cliff cannot really state it in words but here's how his logic goes, "Right…I never carried you in my arms before, now's the first time. And that is a problem because?"

"Because…um, I'm fragile! Like a doll!"

"A doll with arthritis problem" Spot on again, "Which is why I should be helping you"

"Which is why you shouldn't! I mean, you can easily crush a doll, being you!"

"Fine…even if I let you go, do you think you will be able to walk?"

"Uh…that's a…good question…" This is what we refer to as lost in translation…

"See? Can't you learn to agree with me for once? There's always a first time for something" Cliff smiles when Marilyn shies away her face, keeping her pride alive by not letting him see her embarrassed look. Although one could question, what does pride have to do with this?

Either way, Marilyn stays quiet as Cliff brings her to the river. Luckily, the ground beside the river isn't rocky at all, allowing Cliff to help Marilyn seating comfortably with her legs unbent, "OK, you stay here. I'll find some branches to set up a fire"

"Fine, but make it fast" Marilyn warns the trench coated man, "It's eerie being alone knowing a bear is wandering around here"

"Marilyn Westerfield is being afraid? Now, that's eerie" Cliff tips the swordswoman and goes to find some tree branches. He didn't get too see Marilyn shooing him. Being left alone, Marilyn checks up on herself.

Carefully, she pokes on her ankles, so she won't hurt left ankle that is already is, to ease it up, "Ow…how could I injured it that bad? What was I thinking back there?"

"It'll heal" A sudden voice from Cliff casts away her attention from the injured ankle. The ARMs wielder returns with a bunch of tree branches, probably enough to build a small cabin. But taking his massive physical strength into account, that shouldn't be impossible at all, "I'll take a look at it"

And that rings something inside Marilyn, "Beg your pardon?"

"I said, I'll take a look at it. You cannot heal yourself, right?" Cliff puts down all the branches on the ground, turning his vision back to the injured girl, "Why? What's so wrong with it? Please don't give me the first time crap again. It's not the first time I checked up on someone's wound, including yours"

As if she cannot absorb what is about to happen, Marilyn asks in a stuttering voice, "You…you're going to remove my shoe and sock?"

"…is that even a question?" Well, who wouldn't answer like that? "Of course I'm going to remove those two things, Marilyn. How am I supposed to help if I don't? Hell, what is it with you today? You've been acting weird all day long! You don't want me to do this, you don't want me to do that, blah, blah, blah! What is you want me to do exactly? Opening a crackhouse?"

"But…but…" Marilyn begs to differ, but she also realizes she is left with no choice. Feeling the defeat for the second time today, she sighs, "Just…do it carefully…"

"You bet I will" Cliff kneels before her and carefully, as she wishes, before slowly removing her shoe, making sure it won't hurt her at all if possible. Done removing the shoe with full attention, next comes the long sock which resembles stocking. Knowing her blood is rushing to her face (again) and turning it red, Marilyn covers her face when she feels Cliff's fingers dipping underneath the band. Cliff began rolling down the stocking, not looking at Marilyn as his hands smoothes down her soft skin. Weirdly, it's as if Cliff doesn't feel anything doing this. Not that's he's gay, though. Inch by creamy inch, her leg was revealed to him, until he was pulling the long sock over her cute little toes. He leaves the sock draped besides him, his hands ever so gently touching her foot. Kneading her skin, he moved his fingers towards her ankle, hearing the sharp hiss of pain from Marilyn. His fingers poked and prodded, and to his relief he could find no serious injury, "No serious injury at all. It's sprained, but it will feel better in two or three days"

"That's good news" And it's even better when Cliff finally moves his fingers off her, "But how about the bear?"

"Big deal, I'll handle him" Cliff shows Marilyn a thumb down right in front of her face, "I can take him down without so much effort, given the proper amount of time and place. And you can relax, I'm not going to kill the bear"

"Wow, since when I can count on you that much?" That's an honest praise.

"Since we first met, my friend. If I can't do that much, I'm unsure I deserve to stay by your side" Cliff leaves a cool impression when he rises back to his feet, "That's the deal, right?"

The drifter just promptly referred to an event happened not long after they first met, three years ago. It was a rather calm yet eerie day like this, in a land where the sand sees all things. "Oh…that…" Marilyn also seems to recall it, thanks to Cliff's notification from earlier, but she doesn't have the chance to talk more because Cliff already drifts somewhere else.

_On the other side of the forest…_

Much like Cliff & Marilyn, Ed & Alvin are also having a conversation. But not about friendship or such, it's bout the technique earlier. "So, tell me about the technique you showed earlier" Alvin starts the conversation from an obvious point.

"Let's see if you can absorb what I'm about to say" Ed kindly explains, "Have you ever heard of qi, Alvin?"

"Qi? No, never"

"Qi is a reference to things analogous to the qi taken to be the life-process or "flow" of energy that sustains living beings" The real explanation begins, "The central difference between your fighting technique and the elemental and advanced level of kung fu does not lie in its form per se, but rather on the nature of the force employed. There are two fundamentally different kinds of forces in traditional Chinese kung fu. The external mechanical force is called 'Li'; the internal force is called 'Nei Jing' Thus, proficiency in martial arts is not determined by the level of difficulty or complexity of forms or styles, but instead depends on the nature of the force employed. The degree of 'Li' force one can employ in kung fu depends on several variables such as resilience of muscles, strength of bones, speed and timing of attack and so on. An effective way to enhance the 'Li' force is to exercise one's muscles and bones by applying increasing pressure on them. The stronger one's muscles and bones become, the more powerful and skilful the level of kung fu is"

Being a proficient fighter himself, it's not that hard for Alvin to understand, "Kung fu? A martial art from the east? So that's the base of your technique?"

"Yes, but that's not all, man" Ed broadens the topic as the explanation goes further, "On the other hand, the level of the 'Nei Jing' force depends on the extent one can exercise one's will power to release an inner energy called Qi. When Qi is being directed by one's will, it is called 'Nei Jing'. The 'Li' force is observable when it is employed. At the point of attack, one must tighten up one's muscles to unite one's strength and create an explosive power. In this process, the state of one's muscles changes from soft and loose to tight and tense. The effectiveness of 'Li' follows the principle of leverage. In the combat, the point of contact is the point of attack. The combatant who can make better use of this pivot point has a greater chance to defeat his or her opponent. Unlike the 'Li' force, 'Nei Jing' is invisible and hence unobservable when employed. The pivot point is not necessary in the combat. At the point of attack, one must 'song' himself to generate all 'Nei Jing' energy one possesses and direct this energy stream through one's contact point with an opponent. The contact point only represents the gateway to conduct 'Nei Jing' energy at the point of attack. The kung fu component of 'Li' force is limited by one's physical condition. When one passes one's prime age, one's kung fu ability will pass the optimum level, too. The degree of kung fu will decline when muscles and bones are not as strong as they used to be. On the other hand, the kung fu aspect of'Nei Jing' continues to grow as long as one lives. 'Nei Jing' energy becomes stronger despite the aging process"

"And…" The baskar native throws perhaps the most important question for his side, ""How do we…use this 'Nei Jing' power?"

Learning the question, Ed smiles, indicating Alvin more or less understands what he's been talking about, "Within martial arts, the key to unlock and nurture stronger inner energy of 'Nei Jing' is through practising 'song'. The term 'song' can function as a verb which means to keep one's mind and body loose resilient and expanding like the consistency of cotton or clouds or relaxed yet concentrated like the sharp alertness of cats immediately before attack. Practicing 'song' is part of kung fu training process. It occurs when one keeps reminding oneself to 'song' thoroughly and refrain from the 'Li' force because the energy of 'Nei Jing' will be locked and blocked whenever the force 'Li' is applied. So, 'Nei Jing' and 'Li' are said to be mutually exclusive"

"Wow…just…wow…" Alvin shakes his head, that's a lot to learn, "So…I need to be able to control the flow of my Qi if I wish to do the same as you did this afternoon"

"Precisely, man"

"How do I…learn the basic to do that?" Interestingly, Ed grins listening to the question.

"You see these leaves" Ed points randomly to the leaves on the ground, "Make them float without the help of the wind"

Alvin goggles his eyes to the leaf, but smiling afterwards, "Now, we're talking"

_Back to where the two lovebirds…I mean, soulmates are…_

It's nighttime at last; Cliff caught four fish from the river and is currently frying them while Marilyn waits. It's not like she can cook, anyway. Cliff and Alvin always did the cooking part. It's weird how the girls can't cook, but then again, the first one is pretty forgetful she could set her own butt on fire and still forget while the other one is downright commanding. She is good only at doing everything but household chores.

"It's ready" Cliff puts each fish on a stick and gives them to the waiting lady, "Be careful, it's still hot, fresh from the oven"

"Thank you" Marilyn shortly replies, waiting for a moment so the fish would be safely edible.

"Wow, it's delicious" Cliff, on the other hand, is using the best of his physical ability to ignore the heat and eats the fish right away, "It's either the fish is good or I'm a good cook"

"It's the fish" The response from Marilyn is really cliché, considering her trait.

"Ow, really? Not me?"

"Nope, no chance in hell"

"OK, thanks for the compliment" Cliff plays along with the joke, "Next time, I'll bring you to a candlelight dinner so you can't complain"

"What? You're going to invite me to a candlelight dinner?" Hm, romantic.

"That sounds like a nice idea, I think" Surprisingly, the red eyed man takes it seriously, "You haven't experience a candlelight dinner before, haven't you?"

"No"

"Good, so it would be your first time"

"I'll see to that" Marilyn ghosts a small laugh, turning her face cheerful, "Don't forget to make it sweet, okay?"

"Sweet? You mean, you want to eat cakes?" The typical dull man responds.

"No, silly. I mean the dinner would have to be a sweet memory" The swordswoman raises the bar for the dinner, "I won't tolerate any funny stuff"

"No funny stuff"

"Alvin and Sophia, especially Alvin, cannot know about this"

"That's difficult, but I'll give it a shot" Cliff continues as he finishes his dinner, "That means I'll have to dress in a formal suit…and you will have to dress formally also"

"Easy, I still got those formal dresses in my bag"

"That's what I want to see" Cliff continues with a pleased smile.

"Me in a formal dress?" Marilyn is flattering herself.

"That and the smile you're currently showing in your face" A really stunning response from The Crimson, "It suits you well. It suits you more than the sad looking face you had put nearly all day long. It's beautiful"

"Oh? What?" In lost words again, Marilyn tries to cover her face awkwardly. But that also results on her not being able to give a needed reply.

If only Cliff had any idea that was such a romantic statement, maybe he wouldn't be so bold. But not only he had no idea, he also has no problem being bold at all. And having heard that, Marilyn cannot reply at all. "Marilyn? What's with the silence? Are you okay? Your ankle is hurting again?"

"No…uh, thanks for your help this whole day…I…uh…" The swordswoman slowly rises and walks to the get her sleeping bag, "I think it's best for us…I mean, isn't it time to sleep already?"

"Well, if you want to sleep that's fine. I'll stay guard for the night"

"Seriously?"

"Seriously" Cliff draws his Dreadnaught, ensuring her of his seriousness, "Good night, Marilyn"

"Good night" Without saying anything, the silver-haired girl goes to sleep inside her sleeping bag, under the supervising eye of the ARMs wielder. Watching her, something pops inside his mind…

Meanwhile in the other side of the forest, Alvin is having a meditation in a half-lotus position while Ed is wandering around him, "Qi can only be felt when you feel complete calmness. And meditation is one of the better ways to reach calmness. When we practice meditation we need to have a comfortable seat and a good posture. The most important feature of the posture is to keep our back straight. To help us do this, if we are sitting on a cushion we make sure that the back of the cushion is slightly higher than the front, inclining our pelvis slightly forward. It is not necessary at first to sit cross-legged, but it is a good idea to become accustomed to sitting in the posture of Buddha Vairochana. If we cannot hold this posture we should sit in one which is as close to this as possible while remaining comfortable. When you finally feel calm, you try to feel as if you and this land becomes one by nature. You have to feel the presence of the leaves, the trees, the rocks, and even the wind. Try to listen to their breathes, their voices. If we practice patiently in this way, gradually our distracting thoughts will subside and we will experience a sense of inner peace and relaxation. Our mind will feel lucid and spacious and we will feel refreshed. When the sea is rough, sediment is churned up and the water becomes murky, but when the wind dies down the mud gradually settles and the water becomes clear. In a similar way, when the otherwise incessant flow of our distracting thoughts is calmed through concentrating on the breath, our mind becomes unusually lucid and clear. We should stay with this state of mental calm for a while. Free your mind from its thoughts, free your soul from its burdens. Stay calm, Alvin. Stay calm, and feel the Qi. Feel this world"

The baskar fighter focuses his mind to do what Ted says, concentrating. He tries to feel the wind by his skin, trying to grasps whatever it is the 'Qi' feels like. "Now, move the fingers on your right hand simultaneously from your thumb. If the leaves float and fly, you grasped the Qi. If they don't, you didn't"

Moving his right thumb, Alvin's expression turns hefty. Weird enough, he begins to sweat. He is distracted by something unseen, "_What is this? I cannot move my fingers? Something is hindering me?_"

"Alvin?" Ted calls to him, realizing something is wrong, "You're sweating, you're not calm"

Breaking from his half-lotus position, Alvin tries to catch some breath, "Uh, yeah…sorry about….I don't know what's going on"

"I know what's going on, you have something on your mind. It distracted the flow of Qi from the earth to you and vice versa. You're not calm" Ed deciphers the problem, grabbing a bottle of water in the process, "Have a drink"

"Alright, thanks" Alvin does as he is told, still trying to calm down.

"Good, now sit down and tell me what's bothering you. You can never reach calmness without letting go whatever it is you're thinking" Crossing his legs, Ed sits on the ground.

"It's…kind of cheesy actually" Alvin follows.

"No, it's not. A problem which distracts is never a cheesy problem"

"Well…okay" Alvin takes a deep long breath before starting to tell his story, "Maybe it has something to do with my dream, or more like my ambition"

"Hm, please do continue"

"…I was born in The Baskar Colony in the middle of Filgaia's desert. My people have long served The Guardians of Filgaia, or so they said despite the fact the guardians had vanished for 22 years ever since The Genesis War ended. But during the war, my father led The Colony to join The Red Moon and ended up becoming one of The Red Swords" Alvin reveals a shocking fact to his new friend.

"Goodness…your father is one of The Red Swords? The five legendary warriors from Red Moon under The Great Paladin and The Wizard Queen?" Ed cannot hide his widened eyes from the baskar native, "This is interesting…"

"You bet" Alvin giggles, knowing the fact is indeed interesting, "The Colony has always sees my father as a hero, a legend. Something no one could ever deny, including myself. He has led the colony as the chief ever since, giving his family wealth and fame. But you know, living the life as a legend's son isn't easy. Whatever I do, ever since I was a little kid, was compared to whatever he did. I have been living under his shadow, maybe even now. I hardly get credit for my own work at The Colony. That's why, I decided to surpass my father. So people would see me for what I am, not what he is"

"You are planning to surpass him? How?"

"By defeating him in one on one fight" Alvin expresses the ambition he set alight as a lifelong goal, "My father is known as the strongest martial artist to ever emerge from the desert. Agurzil, The Colony called him. Perhaps defeating Solomon and winning a war is too much for me to dream, because I want no war or massacre at this day and age. So, I settled for challenging him in one on one fight. If I defeat him, The Colony will start acknowledging me for what I'm capable of, not what he is capable of. I want to defeat him, someday I will. That is my dream. That's why I start traveling as a drifter in the first place, so I can experience life for my own. So I can gain more power"

Alvin stated the last words with confidence and flair, so much that even Ed could tell there wasn't an ounce of joke on it. His eyes are filled with determination. "That's a cool story, man" Ed pats his new friend's back to encourage him, "But if you wish to master the Qi, you must free yourself from that ambition first. No calmness, no Qi. No Qi, no power. No power, no victory"

"Good suggestion, guess I'll do it again" Determined, Alvin positions himself to the half-lotus again, this time aiming for the success, "_Wipe the needless thoughts, I have to be calm. Take a deep breath, feel this world, feel the nature. Feel the wind, feel the leaves, feel the trees. Feel this earth, Filgaia"_

Seeing Alvin is seemingly ready this time, Ed rises and guides him again with a soft tone, "The first stage of meditation is to stop distractions and make our mind clearer and more lucid. This can be accomplished by practicing a simple breathing meditation. We choose a quiet place to meditate and sit in a comfortable position. We can sit in the traditional cross-legged posture or in any other position that is comfortable. If we wish, we can sit in a chair. The most important thing is to keep our back straight to prevent our mind from becoming sluggish or sleepy. We sit with our eyes partially closed and turn our attention to our breathing. We breathe naturally, preferably through the nostrils, without attempting to control our breath, and we try to become aware of the sensation of the breath as it enters and leaves the nostrils. This sensation is our object of meditation. We should try to concentrate on it to the exclusion of everything else. At first, our mind will be very busy, and we might even feel that the meditation is making our mind busier; but in reality we are just becoming more aware of how busy our mind actually is. There will be a great temptation to follow the different thoughts as they arise, but we should resist this and remain focused single-pointedly on the sensation of the breath. If we discover that our mind has wandered and is following our thoughts, we should immediately return it to the breath. We should repeat this as many times as necessary until the mind settles on the breath. Imagine the Qi the way you want it, anything would do"

Following his guideline, Alvin concentrates on his breathing, throwing away any needless thoughts he got from his mind, be it his dream or his ambition to defeat his father. He could feel the wind passing by his skin, the leaves silently resting on the ground. He imagines as if the Qi is a green colored flow of energy passing through him and around him, "_I can feel it, the green flow flowing through my hand. Is this the Qi?_"

Taking a glance to ensure Alvin is on the right way, Ed continues, "If we practice patiently in this way, gradually our distracting thoughts will subside and we will experience a sense of inner peace and relaxation. Our mind will feel lucid and spacious and we will feel refreshed. When the sea is rough, sediment is churned up and the water becomes murky, but when the wind dies down the mud gradually settles and the water becomes clear. In a similar way, when the otherwise incessant flow of our distracting thoughts is calmed through concentrating on the breath, our mind becomes unusually lucid and clear. We should stay with this state of mental calm for a while. Even though breathing meditation is only a preliminary stage of meditation, it can be quite powerful. We can see from this practice that it is possible to experience inner peace and contentment just by controlling the mind, without having to depend at all upon external conditions. When the turbulence of distracting thoughts subsides and our mind becomes still, a deep happiness and contentment naturally arises from within. This feeling of contentment and well-being helps us to cope with the busyness and difficulties of daily life. So much of the stress and tension we normally experience comes from our mind, and many of the problems we experience, including ill health, are caused or aggravated by this stress. Just by doing breathing meditation for ten or fifteen minutes each day, we will be able to reduce this stress. We will experience a calm, spacious feeling in the mind, and many of our usual problems will fall away. Difficult situations will become easier to deal with, we will naturally feel warm and well disposed towards other people, and our relationships with others will gradually improve. Now, move the fingers on your right hand simultaneously from your thumb. You can do it, Alvin. I know you can. You can and you will. Feel the Qi, feel this world. Feel the whole Filgaia. Now, move"

With confidence brimming inside him, Alvin moves his fingers successively from his thumb, forming a fist before swaying his hand away in the air. With precise accuracy, the leaves begin to float before flying to the mid-air among the trees. Alvin moves his hand to a different direction and sends the leaves following him. He looks at Ed who nods at him, giving him a signal to give it a try. Forming a fist with his right hand, the baskar fighter unleashes a punch to the mid-air, giving pressure to the wind on his surrounding and forcing the leaves to scatter, successfully performed the punch Ed executed earlier today's afternoon.

"You did it, man! You did it!" Ed is the first to celebrate Alvin's success, giving his new friend a high five which Alvin contemplates, "See? You could do it, right? Now, you can also do Qi! All you have to do is improvise it by yourself!"

"Thank you, Ed. Thank you. Couldn't have done it without you" Alvin embraces Ed on a friendly hug, apparently feeling happy himself.

"Okay, what do you say we grab something to drink and celebrate? I'm in no mood to calm down any moment soon" Ed offers a small celebration party which Alvin accepts by nodding and smiling. That night, the two goes for a nightlong celebration.

_Eight hours later, in the opposite point of the fighters…_

The night will soon embrace the dawn silently when Cliff is leaning comfortably to a tree, setting his vision to Marilyn and his surrounding. The bonfire scares all the animals in the woods for all night long, so he didn't have to worry about the bear or any other animals. However, his eyes tell he is worried about something else entirely. Something related to his sleeping companion. His wondering, however, is cut short when he hears Marilyn speaking. Faintly, but enough to make Cliff changes his attention. "You're…still awake?" Were the words she voiced.

"As it should be" Cliff adds somewhat a joyous tone to his reply, "You feel better?"

"My ankle still hurts, but I think it's better than last night" Marilyn shortly says before she realizes Cliff is looking at her in a weird way, "Why are you looking at me like that? Is there anything funny in my face?"

"You didn't sleep at all, did you?" The red eyed man strikes with a piercing question, "Just be honest with me, Marilyn. You've been thinking all night long, I could tell by a small, very small, but visible rings on your eyes"

Yet, he receives no response from Marilyn. Normally, it wouldn't even bother him. But for the last three years, he has lived a life filled with her sound every single day it would hurt him not to hear her talking. So, Cliff mans up and speaks to push her a bit more, "You've been thinking of something, right? What is it, Marilyn?"

"…no. Not really, no" An obvious lie. Anyone could tell what from her shallow tone.

"Come on, don't give me that. You know I won't buy it" Cliff pushes deeper, "What is it?"

"…I've just been thinking" Finally, Marilyn opens up, "You know, about the things I said earlier this afternoon"

"About Vold Green" Cliff escapes the name in whisper, making sure Marilyn does catch that one, "What about him?"

"I…uh…" The swordswoman knows better than to lie to the ARMs wielder. He will read through her if she does and that would only prolong the matter. So, she becomes wiser and admits, "Okay, you're right. I've been thinking about Lord Green all night long. I only slept for an hour or such"

Cliff looks somewhat disappointed listening to her answer. He takes a breath before slowly shaking his head, "Tsk…"

"Huh? What's with that?" Noticing his disappointment, Marilyn raises her tone. The bonfire gets even hotter thanks to her arising anger, "If you have something to say then speak up!"

"It's pathetic if you think about it" Wasting no seconds, Cliff does speak up, "Your love for him, I mean"

"What's so pathetic about it?" Marilyn pierces back with a loud voice. She could see the gaze Cliff is giving her thanks to the bonfire. It is somewhat cold yet meaningful gaze.

"The fact that it hurts you and it makes you suffer" The red haired drifter puts weight in his every word so his longtime companion would never forget. And true to the fact, she seems surprised, "I'm but a novice if we're talking about love. I never fell in one, so I can't really tell how you are feeling. But isn't love something that is supposed to make you happy? You've been thinking of a reason why he left you all night long, right? What's the good of it if it makes you unable to sleep? If it wastes your time and energy? If it hurts your heart? Your feeling? You're content with that?"

"That's…" The black-eyed swordswoman urges herself to voice a response but she is unable to. Deep down, she knew all the thing he said was true. But, she chooses to respond nonetheless, "That's untrue! Who said my love for him didn't make me happy?"

"Your voice is betraying you, lady" Cliff continues gaining the upper-hand on the current occasion, "You shouldn't have said it with a trembling voice. Wanna try again?"

"You jerk!" Marilyn rushes to Cliff's side, ignoring the injured ankle, and slaps him across the face. It hurts her right hand more than it does his face, but that was cathartic at least for her, "Don't you dare talk to me like that ever again!"

She is still lying, yeah. Even after Cliff gave a good effort to push her button she still wouldn't admit it. In this stage, Cliff knows the only option for him is to continue pushing her button. Else, his effort would be in vain. So, he does. "It was a reminder, Marilyn. Not a mockery" Slowly, Cliff arises so he could see her eye to eye. Both are gazing to each other.

Her eyes are filled with anger while his are filled with sympathy. Realizing the sympathetic gaze, the younger drifter reacts with her own way. "Stop it! Stop looking at me like that!" She yells, and she put more effort to that yelling than she did with the slap. Of course, contrary to her wish Cliff doesn't stop showing his sympathetic gaze. "I said stop it!" Marilyn throws another slap with the hurting right hand. But this time the ARMs wielder is quick enough to catch her hand in the mid-air and pulling it a bit closer to himself so their face is only inch apart, surprising her more than once, "Wha? Let go of my hand! Let me go!"

"Not unless you calm down"

"Don't tell me to calm down!" This situation is about to reach its pinnacle. Marilyn starts swaying her left hand to Cliff's face to free her right, but her effort is fruitless. She shouldn't challenge him in the first place. Physical strength wise, he outclasses her in every way possible. She is angered, but not fooled. If this continues Cliff wouldn't let her go even until the sun rises, so Marilyn chooses to become wiser and gradually stop resisting. True to his word, Cliff removes the grip he's been putting on her. Marilyn is stuttered to see his doing. And since they aren't soulmates for nothing, she knows he's up to something, "What's with you tonight? You've been telling me all those things you said because you have a point, right? Stop concealing it and start telling me! I'm bored seeing you implying them all the time!"

"Fine" And Cliff goes straight to the point, "Stop putting sad faces. I hate seeing you like that"

And that's his coup de grace for her tonight. Marilyn slowly raises her eyebrows, somehow not catching what he meant. It is clear she and he are not on the same page. And he knows this. Casting a serious tone to clarify the meaning of his words, Cliff speaks up, "You see, you've been putting a sad face since we entered this forest. I know the reason, but I still think it's wrong. You were unhappy, and when you're unhappy I'm less happy. At least if you smile, you will feel a bit happier. And when you're happy, I'm happier also. I don't like it when you look sad, smile suits you better. Whether it's a cunning smile, irritating smile, victorious smile, or happy smile which you don't show very often, it's better than seeing you sad"

Marilyn is clearly taken aback by what The Crimson just said. And she has no words on her inventory to give a proper reply to him. "Look, I'm not trying to lecture you or patronize you. I'm just worried" Cliff resumes much to Marilyn's delight, who's been longing for further revelation for a minute now, "I do realize how you feel about Vold Green. And to a certain extent, I can also understand you're longing for him. But honestly, I don't think it's a good thing if all those things exist only to hurt your feeling. You…since we entered this woods, there's only a handful of time when you're truly yourself. Most of the time, you're not the Marilyn I know. If I had the faintest idea I would have seen you like this, I would have asked you to wait outside and hunted the bear myself. That is a small price compared to…witnessing you being sad"

For a moment, both drifters are locked in dead silence. Marilyn has no idea she could hurt someone else unknowingly like she just heard. Her anger fades instantly after Cliff explained his thought to her, how could she stay angered after all those words? She doesn't have the heart to. Finally opening up her mind, she could feel the caring gaze he's been casting upon her since she woke up. He's right, something so beautiful shouldn't hurt her. She shouldn't have wasted her time thinking of something absurd. And she feels bad for indirectly hurting someone else. She should be wiser the next time, "Cliff…I don't know what to say…I'm so sorry…"

"Me too, I apologize for saying harsh things to you. I should have chosen better words, I know it was rude in my part. I didn't mean to offend you" Cliff shows a little compassion by slowly reaching for Marilyn's right hand, injured when she hit his steeled face, and carefully holding her fingers while checking it, "Is your hand still hurting? I'll wrap it with some bandage"

"Eh, it doesn't really hurt. Only four bruised fingers" The reply indicates the swordswoman has returned to her normal self, "And it's fully throbbing all over the palm"

"Good then, I can just wrap it in plastic" Cliff plays out with his reply to her, the heavy atmosphere has been lifted at last. Of course he doesn't really wrap her hand in plastic, he does it with sterilized bandage, "It's done. Feeling better?"

"Pretty much, yeah" Marilyn looks at her wrapped hand, seemingly making sure of something, "I guess I should be thanking you this time"

"Don't mention it"

"If you wish" With her mind all cleared up, Marilyn has come to her senses to get the better of Cliff, "But now with both my hand and ankle injured, I'm defenseless. You, being the one to cause all of this, are obliged to ensure my safety till I regain full health"

"Commanding and prideful, that's the Marilyn I know" The Crimson likes this usual upbringing of hers, "I know I'm responsible for your hand, but your ankle? That was your own fault"

"No, it was yours"

"How's that"

"You could have warned me but you didn't"

"No, I did warn you"

"Yeah, but it was too late"

"I did try"

"Yeah, but you were too late"

"Meanie"

"Thank you" Fully understanding each other, both smiles fondly. They make up with each other by their own way. But their moment is interrupted when a growl is heard from behind the bushes, which alerts Cliff and makes him draw his ARMs.

"The bear" Cliff notices the source of the voice, "Around seventy feet from our right, I'll go check it in there. You stay here"

"Okay, be careful" Marilyn says as the red eyed man go deeper into the source of the voice with his Dreadnaught on stand by mode. Cliff prepares himself in case the said animal suddenly attacks him. He isn't planning to kill the bear because he knew one miss shot from Dreadnaught would scare the crap out of the bear. Slowly, he makes his way through the bushes and finally finds the bear lying in the ground with…

"Sophia?" Cliff jaws nearly touched the ground when he sees Sophia sleeping beside the bear.

"Hm…Cliff?" Sophia, with an innocent manner, opens her eyes and wakes up, "What are you doing here?"

"What are *you* doing here?" Cliff reacts normally for anyone in his situation, "Shouldn't you be staying at the inn?"

"Yeah, but I got bored and decided to have a sightseeing"

"In the middle of a forest?"

"What? You can't have sightseeing in the middle of a forest?"

"That's not the problem!"

"What's going on in there?" Marilyn heard Cliff earlier, so obviously she wants a new development. But, of all people, she sees a familiar Garrison, "Sophia? What are you doing in the forest so late in the night?"

"She said she was having sightseeing" Cliff tells Marilyn what the sniper just told him, "And how did you end up sleeping with the wanted bear, Sophia?"

"The bear? You mean it wasn't a heap of fur?"

"It wasn't. Anyway…" Before the conversation heading to a more complicated level, Marilyn focuses on what actually matters, "The bear is here, let's hurry and capture him"

"How? Didn't you say you would figure it out in time?" Cliff reminds Marilyn something unpleasant from earlier.

"Uh…that's right…I forgot…sorry…" Not a good answer, because the moment she's done saying that the bear wakes up.

"Groaaaaaar!" The bear runs wild and sets his sight on the three surprised drifters. Cliff quickly aims his ARMs to the bear the same time Sophia drawing Silvia, but before anything happens Marilyn warns both of them.

"Don't kill the bear! The mayor wanted him alive!"

That stops both ARMs wielder from killing the bear, but doesn't stop the bear from trying to ax them. The bear sends a claw attack to Sophia but the sniper avoids it easily, allowing Cliff to enter the battle from Sophia's behind and give the bear a taste of his straight punch to its stomach, sending him crushing to a tree. "Cliff, what are you doing? Don't kill the bear I said!" Marilyn freaks out seeing the herculean strength of her companion literally clawed the bear, which by now seems half-conscious.

"He's not dead, just unconscious" Cliff sways his hand, shutting down the worry of his soulmate. Sophia checks the condition of the bear and nods, confirming Cliff's words. "See? There's no need to worry" Cliff reaches to the bear, wanting to lift him on his shoulder. But he assures himself too quick, the bear suddenly comes to his sense and attacks Cliff using his claw, more than enough to send him to the bushes.

"Oh, no! Sophia do something!" Marilyn turns to the sniper only see her…nowhere to be found, "What? Sophia? Where are you?"

"Right here" The voice comes from above a nearby tree with Sophia hugging to its top, "I'm sorry, I forgot to load Silvia with bullets nor I brought bullets with me. And I also forgot to bring my bayonet swords. I'm sorry, Marilyn"

"You what?" It's not the right time for protesting, really. The bear is about to chase her, "Fudge!"

Marilyn activates her accelerator and runs back to the river; unfortunately for her the injured ankle doesn't do her any favor so she runs while holding the pain, "_Ukh, at this limit I can only run as fast as normal!"_

Marilyn dodges a claw attack from behind by the bear, yet it was enough to corner her into a tree, "What _do I do? If I cut him open with Iskander Bey he will surely die…or maybe not! I got an idea!_"

The bear throws another claw attack, so Marilyn had no choice other than unsheathing her treasured sword and hit the bear right in the face using its hilt before hitting it again on the neck. The bear was so damn wrong thinking of Marilyn as a damsel in distress when he receives another hit on his jaw, this time bringing him down to the river, "Oh Lord, fighting without intending to kill is so damn hard!"

True, because the bear rises again. Marilyn prepares to launch another attack but out of her control she drops her sword, seeing her hand shaking and she had to get a hold of it to stop it, "_Ukh, my hand! I forgot it's injured!_"

That's not a fortunate fate to have at the moment. The bear sees the chance to attack and moves, this time aiming for the head of the defenseless swordswoman. But before anything could happen, an air-piercing sound ensues as a 9x19 Parabellum passes both the drifter's and the bear's face before hitting a tree and crumbles it. Marilyn slowly glances to the bushes and spots Cliff still aiming his Dreadnaught after throwing in a shot. Dreadnaught's barrel is still smoking.

"If you value your life, bear, you might want to step away from her" A simple threat from The Crimson, and in human language too. Nonetheless, the bear fearfully steps away from his target…allowing Cliff to suddenly run to behind the bear and butt-strike him in the back of his head, knocking him out cold, "That's for attacking me, you bastard. If you dare waking up again, I'll shoot you in the head no matter what"

"That's enough, Cliff. I think you kicked his ass for good this time" Marilyn prevents further violence from happening by calming down her soulmate, seeing how the bear is finally defeated for good this time.

But that's not what the ARMs wielder has in mind. What he's got in mind is something else the time he observes the battered drifter, "I'm sorry, he nearly had you in there didn't he? Are you injured somewhere? Other than the previous two, I mean"

"_Why is he so worried of me? He's never been like this before_" It is kinda fascinating seeing how Cliff is so worried of herself, she thinks. She doesn't know the reason, but after all things happening tonight, she chooses to relieve him, "No, I don't think so. My ankle and hand are hurting again, but other than that I'm perfectly fine. Thanks for your help back there"

"Don't mention it" The atmosphere when Cliff smiles is unspeakable. Marilyn could feel his worry fade away that instant. Too bad for them, someone interferes.

"Cliff? Marilyn? Are you two alright?" Sophia enters the point with a worried look. She feels guilty about her carelessness earlier, "I'm sorry for my mis…"

"Forget about it, it happens everytime" Being with her for two years, the other two Garrisons knew all too well about Sophia's and forgetfulness. When the sun finally rises, the three already delivered the bear to the mayor's office.

_The morning, three hours after capturing the bear…_

"It's been a pleasant experience, lad" Alvin is shown shaking hands with his new friend, "I really learned a lot just in one night"

"Don't bother, man. It's fun teaching people too sometimes, y'know?" Ed rather fancies the moment, "And also, it's nice to have a new friend. My job doesn't really allow me of that honor"

"Really? What's your job?"

"Meh, it's not important" The Qi master seems to be so secretive about something, hm? "Either way, good luck sparring with your father. Let's meet again some other time"

"Yeah, let's" Alvin waves his hand watching the Qi master goes back to the woods. The drifter heads back to the inn where his team is waiting for him near the jeep, "Hey, guys! Glad to see you again!"

"Glad to see you too, bro!" Cliff, as usual, is the one to welcome him back, "How's training going?"

"Pretty good. I gain something good now" And also just as usual, Alvin goes into the matchmaker mode, "And how 'bout you, Cliff? Something good happened with the future Mrs. Cliff Margester?"

"Again, I don't get what you're talking about"

"Ow, come on! You can't always ignore my advices like that!"

"Sorry, for spoiling your fun, guys. But can't we go now?" Marilyn, who's been sitting inside the jeep with Sophia, is apparently bored with all the talk right now, "We got the prize money here, so can't we go to Enid town now? We got schedule to catch, remember?"

"All right…" Feeling somewhat defeated, Alvin reminds Cliff when he got to the driver seat, "Cliff, once we arrive in Enid we'd need to talk"

"Okay, I also think we are in some kind of misunderstanding here" With all prepared and ready, the group rides off to the next destination.

_Meanwhile, inside the woods…_

Ed is eating his breakfast, a bunch of fruits, when his cell phone rings. He picks it up,

E: Hello? Trent?

T: Where are you now, Ed?

E: Somewhere near Enid Town.

T: …let me guess, training again?

E: You guessed well enough, hehehehe.

T: Hey, do you know as the second division Peacemaker you need to be more responsible of your job?

E: Well, Rosella is taking a good care of it. Chill out, man.

T: Good grief…anyway, I need you back in the headquarters. The president is issuing an order.

E: Okay, I'll be there by tonight.

T: You better.

After he cuts the line, Ed grumbles, "And just when I finally meet someone interesting!"

**That's it for this chapter! I'm so sorry for the update, I had to take care of my bachelor degree (^^). Hope I can start updating weekly again this time. I'll be releasing chapters for The Knightfall as well. C ya!**


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